Super Leni
by Cyberdrew
Summary: After a mysterious machine detonated in the Loud family's home town, Leni wakes up with superpowers. With the effects of the machine tearing the city apart, she takes it upon herself to defend her home, and her family. Can she measure up, or are the demands of this new job too much for her?
1. Chapter 1

_ **For the sake of the story, Royal Woods is next to a big city. Because I couldn't think of a clever way to show a superhero in a small town. **_

* * *

She was walking to the bus stop, minding her own business. It was a full day of shopping done, whole sets of outfits collected after her shift at the store. Great deals and offers were made. Money spent, money saved.

And yet, that looming pain existed in her chest.

She was sitting at the bus stop with her bags, waiting patiently, when her phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey girl!" Lori, her eldest sister greeted. "How's everything going back home?"

"Oh, great!" Leni cheerfully chattered. She filled Lori in on their latest escapades. New details on how their siblings were trashing the house in her absence. Leni told her about her day, and the pain shrunk with the conversation. It was good to hear her sister's voice again.

There was a pause in the conversation, and then a change in subject.

"How are you holding up?" Lori questioned.

Leni didn't answer right away. She wanted to tell her sister not to worry, that she liked having the room all to herself and the extra closet space that was just a bus ride home away from being filled up, but she couldn't find the words to say any of it. Any attempt at an answer died in her throat.

"Hey," Lori pushed, "Are you still there?"

"Yes," Leni found _that_ word easily enough.

"Okay," her sister sounded sullen. "Hey, it's not like we're not ever going to see each other again, right? I'm coming home for Thanksgiving, and Christmas after that."

Leni didn't answer, though she found it increasingly more difficult to keep the tears at bay. She sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes.

"Hang in there, Leni," Lori told her, "I miss you guys too. It's lonely out here, and I hate just sitting around doing nothing but school work and ramen."

"You got Bobby, though," Leni tried to be encouraging.

"Yeah," Lori sighed. "Hey, I hate to leave you like this Leni, but I have to go. I love you."

"Love you too."

"Bye."

Leni hung up and placed the device in her purse. She could do little more than lean forward and stare at the sidewalk. Why was any of this so…hard?

She was so focused on her thoughts and what to do next (if nothing else than to distract herself), that she didn't notice the events happening around her. She didn't address the rumbling in the background, mistaking it for distant thunder. She didn't notice the astonished crowd that and stopped where they were to look up at the sky. She didn't even notice the ball of light, as it arced through the sky from a far-off explosion.

She only noticed when it landed right on top of her, flinging her body across the street like a ragdoll.

…

She woke up, with no knowledge of how much time had passed. In truth, she didn't remember too much of this. There was just… flashes. Images of her surroundings. She could see the ground… but it was so far away, somehow? She reached out to grab hold of it, her fingers brushing against the asphalt, but she was floating off.

Did she die? Was she going to heaven? Was she supposed to be feeling this cut and battered?

She was hunched over, like someone was holding her by a string on her back.

She could feel herself drifting forward. She could feel the wind whipping her hair around. She couldn't tell where she was going, but she was too out of it to care. She closed her eyes and just lost herself in the sensation.

It was a few minutes before she opened her eyes again. She wasn't completely sure how long it was, but she looked down and saw her house. She silently second guessed herself, but the doubts soon evaporated. It was the worst looking roof on the street; the roof, back yard, and the tree in the front yard were all littered with neglected toys.

This dream of hers drifted down to the front door, where she entered without resistance. She drifted upstairs and took a left to her own room, closing the door shut as she entered. She stood there, at the center of the room, in a state of shock and awe.

She was tired. Sleep was the only thing she could think of.

She started to change out of her day clothes when she noticed the cuts and bruises on her body. She should shower first.

Just as she grabbed her towel and robe, there was a knock on her door.

"Leni?" it was her brother, Lincoln. "You home?"

"…Yes?" she answered through the door.

"Okay," he said, "You left the front door open, and… There's this weird light show in the sky… I was just… Are you okay?"

He was so sweet it broke her heart. At least the dream got that right.

"I'm alright Linky," she answered. "I'm just going to take a shower."

"Okay," he answered and seemed to walk away. As she waited, she heard him talking to someone else. "Yeah, she's home. Okay. Yeah, we're fine. I love you too-"

His voice drifted away as he closed the door to his room. Leni went about with her shower and got dressed for bed, even though it was three in the afternoon.

She didn't wake up for some hours, as she felt someone shaking her shoulder.

"Hey, dudette," Luna's voice broke through her subconscious. "We got dinner ready. You hungry?"

"No, no," Leni answered absently. "Just wanna sleep. Sleep forever."

Her stomach protested in a loud and un-lady-like manner, growling like a wild animal.

Luna snickered next to her. "Come on," she insisted, "I _know_ that noise. You haven't eaten anything all day. A quick meal, and you can go back to sleep."

"Fine…" she lurched forward into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes. She only just now realized she hadn't put on her sleep mask. She looked down at herself, at the arms that were supposed to be covered in cuts and bruises. They were completely clean. That proves it was just a dream, right?

She followed Luna downstairs, trying to find the words to describe her dream. It seemed so real. Leni wasn't much for dreaming, and she didn't think they'd be so lifelike. Dreams were supposed to be silly, weren't they?

Leni became aware of the tense atmosphere when she hit the bottom step. The little ones weren't playing with toys or chemistry sets at the last second before dinner like they usually would. Instead, they were quietly sitting at the table, eyeing every adult in sight; waiting for someone to tell them it'll be alright.

The adults- their parents- were busying themselves setting the table and cooking dinner. Mom took a moment to calm Lily down, who started kicking up a fuss.

The older kids stood around the tv, though no one sat in the couch or chairs. They stared at the news, absorbing the information. Lincoln was among them, his eyes wide and his face uneasy. Leni joined them, watching the news anchor give his report.

"…and authorities have made no comment thus far," he took a breath, "All we do have, though, is a series of pictures and amateur videos being posted on all forms of social media, including twitter and facebook, of the aftermath of the Event. Some doctors are speculating that the meteors and debris from the generator explosion have caused panic and hallucinations throughout the city. If you are experiencing any unusual symptoms, please, see a doctor immediately-"

"Kids!" their mother called, "turn that off, its time to eat!"

Someone turned off the screen, and the herd of children solemnly marched to the dining room table.

Everyone was silent as their father, stone faced and thoughts somewhere else, set their dinner in front of them.

Everyone filled their plates and began eating solemnly. Leni looked around the table, seeing all her younger siblings sitting uncomfortably. For a terrifying moment, she thought one of their number was missing, but a quick head count corrected her fears. Only Lori was missing.

"So," their mother said, "I heard that school's going to be on hold for a while."

That would have been cause for celebration, but nobody moved.

Leni frowned at the conflicting information.

"…Why is school cancelled?" Leni wondered.

Eyes turned to her, followed by a moment of silence.

"Oh," Rita shook her head, "You must have been asleep when it happened."

Leni waited for further explanation.

Lisa opened her mouth to speak, but a river of technological terms and wordings flowed out that Leni had no clue or reference for.

Lincoln, mercifully, put a hand on her shoulder.

"There was an accident," he translated. "Some kind of experimental generator went out of control. It caused blackouts, technology shorting out all over the city. Debris from the explosion has been falling all over the city."

"Oh…" Leni processed. "Oh no…"

"You seem to know a bit about this science project, son," Lynn Sr. noted. "Taking an interest?"

"Clyde and I were talking about the thing giving us superpowers," the boy shrugged.

"Ah," their father nodded. Though, he didn't notice Lincoln's smile droop into sadness.

"What's wrong, Linky?" Leni asked.

"Its just…" he sighed. "Clyde's parents… they're pretty freaked out. Apparently they had a panic kit packed and ready. They're all staying with their Gran, out of state until Royal Woods is "safe" again."

He put air quotes around "safe."

"Is…is the debris really that big of a problem?"

"Some people are saying its radioactive," Lynn piped up. "My softball team drove right by a piece of it today!"

"Same dude," Luna agreed. "Chunk was driving the van. We didn't realize what we were looking at until it was too late. Floored it out of there."

"I kind of wanted to get closer to one of the pieces," Luan confessed, "Maybe get some video of it for my blog. But a bunch of idiots were standing around it, baking in the glow of the thing."

"Which is a good enough sign to stay away from them," their dad clarified, "Hear that everyone? Stay away from glowing rocks if you don't know what they are."

A collective murmur of agreement echoed around the table. Lisa sounded the most bitter about it.

Soon, Rita was interrupted by a phone call.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, "I'll be right back."

She left the table and answered her daughter's call.

"Hey!" Lori greeted, "I just heard! Are you all okay?"

"Yes, yes, we're fine," Rita assured her. The mother filled her in on some of the finer details. It was all unsettling, but it calmed the both of them to know that the other was safe.

Lori sighed. "I'm glad to hear that. It's been what, a week? And the world falls apart? Jeezums."

Rita smiled and chuckled over the phone.

"How's… How's Leni?" Lori asked, on a more concerned note.

"She's fine," Rita answered, slightly confused, "She slept through the day. We've had to fill her in on what happened."

…

"Keep… Keep an eye on her, will you?" Lori suddenly requested. "I don't think she's handling… all this as well as she lets on…"

Rita smiled, her heart melting.

"Will do," she promised.

"Now put me on speaker, will you?" she demanded. "I want to say hi to everyone!"

* * *

Later that night, Leni sat upright in her bed. She hasn't been getting a whole lot of sleep recently. Every night she would get ready for bed and turn out the light, and turn to the other bed. She would say "Goodnight Lori" and remember again.

Tonight was no different. Instead of trying to sleep though, she just sat on the edge of her bed; thinking about the day's events.

Did she really…fly home? Or was that a dream?

She felt herself leave the bed. She felt her feet leave the carpet. She could feel her head nearing the ceiling of her room. It was undeniable.

She was floating in the air.

She could fly.

She drifted to her desk and grabbed her sketchbook, chalk full of different designs and ideas for clothes. She silently drifted downstairs, turning on a lamp in the living room and turning on the TV.

The news was still playing, new details on aweing and awful things. She drew, taking up a new page in this sketchbook. A brand-new design, something she had never made before.

Missing persons. Supposed kidnappings. Riots. People being hurt. People with families. People getting trapped. People dying. People losing people. Looters. People not being able to eat. People having nowhere to go. People being taken advantage of.

All these things happening at once, right here, in her home town and the downtown city she loved to walk through. It blossomed a sorrowful awakening inside her. It gave her ideas. But it also made her realize:

She couldn't do this on her own.

"Leni?"

The girl jumped and turned to the stairs, slamming her book shut.

"Lincoln," she greeted. "Hey. You're up late."

"Uh…" He looked around, eyes fixating on a certain spot past her. "It's one-in-the-morning."

Leni followed his gaze to the time stamp on the TV. It indeed was 1:04.

"Oh."

Lincoln joined her on the couch. "What are you doing up?"

"Oh, just…working on a new design. Couldn't sleep."

"Oh." Lincoln nodded.

They both watch the news in silence.

"I heard if things get worse," Lincoln commented, "They'll actually bring in the military. Enforce marshal law."

Leni blinked. "What's-?"

"It's like the military taking over the police's job," Lincoln explained, "They'll patrol the streets. Conduct random searches in everybody's house. Tell people when and where they can go. It's…not fun."

Leni pondered the prospect. Maybe she could help in… keeping things from getting worse.

"Lincoln," she said to her brother. "Do you think…you can help me with something tomorrow? I just have…some questions."

"Sure," he answered chipperly. "What'd you need?"

"I wanted to know more about those… superheroes you're into."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning was spent watching videos and taking notes. The videos were- more or less- highlight reels from various movies and cartoons. The Justice League, the Avengers, a few others. Though there was a shocking lack of Ace Savvy, who even Leni knew was Lincoln's favorite superhero.

"Oh, yeah," he sighed upon being prompted. "he doesn't really have a movie, or a tv show. At least, not yet. Maybe one day. Plenty of other superheroes though."

Leni nodded and jotted down some notes, usually just written questions so she could keep track of her own thoughts among the flowing information.

"So…" she wondered, "A lot of costumes are, like, super bright and colorful, but others, like, are super dark and depressing."

"Oh, well, using just these two as an example," he pointed to the muscular Superman and Batman facing off on the screen. "Superman is invulnerable- er, he can't ever be hurt- and he's super strong, so he doesn't need to worry about gunfire affecting him. Batman, on the other hand, doesn't have any powers."

"Wait, he doesn't?"

"No…" Lincoln smiled, though his face suggested he was restraining himself from saying something else. "He has to out-think his opponents; using gadgets and armor and sneaky stuff."

"Guess that's out of the question," Leni muttered under her breath. She admittedly wasn't the most aware person in the room, but she knew her limits. Sometimes she'd get too excited about something or make some mistake that was so obvious to everyone else. She'd have to do better, if she really was going to follow through with this.

"What was that?" Lincoln asked.

"Er," Leni thought for a moment. "What about that guy? The…spider…guy…"

She could feel her face scrunch up at the character. Spiders were _disgusting_. She instantly regretted choosing him as the subject of conversation.

"Oh, well, he's kind of different," he continued, "He has powers, but he's not invincible. He can climb walls, and has the proportional strength of a…"

Lincoln examined just how curled up she was on the bed. They had retreated to his room after breakfast, the rest of the family going about their business, though no one was really planning on going anywhere.

"Uh," Lincoln thought for a second, "He had to build his web slingers, so he can get around the city swinging like Tarzan."

Leni relaxed a little. "So that stuff isn't…coming_ out_ of him?"

"No." Lincoln reassured her.

"Okay," she nodded, jotting down another thought. "What else can he do?"

"Well…"

In a few minutes, Lincoln set up a game of the titular hero and was scrolling through a menu. She watched as he flicked from costume to costume, changing the hero's appearance.

"Each suit has a power," Lincoln explained. "they serve a different function. Or just have an ability that changes the fight. This one gives him electric punches that shock enemies. This one sends out a little drone to attack enemies. That one sends out holograms as decoys. So on and so on. The suit powers just kinda… cover your weaknesses in a fight."

Leni tapped the pencil to her lips. This was…fascinating to her. Fashion _and_ function. She jotted down some of the examples. Leni was not a scientific person. She had no idea how she was going to _modify_ a suit with technology like this.

"The suits… cover your weaknesses…" Leni thought aloud.

"Yeah…" Lincoln gave her a strange look. The two of them sat in silence for a moment. "Hey, Leni? What, uh…what brought this on? You designing a cosplay commission, or something? I mean, I'm happy to help, but… I was just curious."

Leni thought for a moment. Pondering.

"Could you do me a favor, and call for a sibling meeting in like... an hour?"

"Uh, sure?"

Leni abruptly got up and left Lincoln's room. Pacing her way to her own room and to the sewing machine. She had plenty of materials to work with, just not the design.

She had just started finalizing some designs in her notebook when she heard a knock at the door.

"Uh, Leni?" It was Lincoln again. The others shuffled into the room behind him.

"Oh," Leni looked at all of them. They all wore worried expressions. Even Lily looked at her funny. "Has it been an hour already?"

"Ah, no," Lincoln answered, "just a few minutes, but-"

"We got a little worried about you," Luan interjected herself. "What have you been up to?"

Leni looked at her design notebook. She guessed now is as good a time to tell them as any.

"I, uh," she stammered. "have to, uh, like… It's kinda hard to explain..."

"Dude," Luna stepped forward, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. You can tell us."

Leni breathed out a heavy sigh.

"Okay," she breathed. "Here it goes."

She closed her eyes and concentrated. She felt herself become…lighter. She could feel her feet coming off the ground, and when she opened her eyes, her brother and sisters where all gazing up at her in astonishment.

"Leni! You're-!"

"She's flying!"

"Whoa!"

"Holy-"

Leni planted her feet back down; a soft thud hitting the carpet.

"Guys!" She tried to hush them. "Shh!"

They all crowded her, bombarding her with questions that she herself had no answers for.

"Guys, guys!" Luna shoved everyone back. "One at a time! Let's give her some air, huh?"

They all quieted down and backed away, waiting with wide eyes and open ears.

Leni sat on Lori's bed, borrowing it for support. She spilled everything she knew, and Luna had to stop her to tell to slow down every minute or so, but she was able to tell them how she flew home and how she thought it was all a dream.

She sighed again. "Everyone out there… there's so much happening, and almost none of it is good. I want to help them, but… I can't do it by myself."

"What do you want to do, exactly?" Luna kneeled in front of her.

"I want…" Leni huffed. "I want to fly more. And I want to help people. Like…"

"Like a superhero?" Lincoln offered. The hope in his voice was all too present.

Leni nodded. "…Yes. That's what I want to do."

The room was silent. Leni thought that maybe they'd start laughing at her. Or maybe some stifling laughter. She swore she could feel them breathing around her.

Leni didn't look up at any of them, but she felt the baby waddle up to her leg and reach her arms up at her. She picked Lily up and held her. The barely two-year-old apparently decided that Leni needed a hug.

"Alright then," Luna decided. "Let's get to work. Lisa, you think you can help Leni with a… super suit?"

"Affirmative," the four-year-old answered, "I've come up several designs in the last eighty-six seconds."

"Great, take Lucy and Lola with you, crank out some designs," Luna moved on, "Lincoln, you still got that police radio? Yeah? Go get it and bring it to my room. Then, you and Luan will brainstorm on some gadgets. Lynn? You're are on fitness duty-"

"Wait, hold on!" Leni stood from the bed. "You're all just… _okay_ with this?"

"Well," Lincoln shrugged. "It's _your_ decision. I think I speak for all of us when I say we're happy to help."

"Yeah!" everyone chimed in.

"Lily," Luna continued, rubbing the baby's head, "You stay here and keep looking cute."

The baby threw an arm out.

"Yay!"

"See?" Luna lightly gushed, "You're doing great already." She turned to Leni. "Be right back."

The siblings disappeared in a cloud of dust, leaving Leni with three of them.

"Alright," Lynn put her hands on her hips. "Put down the baby. We got muscles to build."

Soon, Leni was outside, wearing workout clothes and her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Lynn stood across from her wearing some kind of leathery mattress and grill.

"Umpire gear," Lynn corrected her. "Plus, a couple of pillows. We know you can fly, but we need to see if anything else changed. Like super strength. I want you to hit me; hard as you can."

"What?"

"You know, throw a punch! Hit me!"

"Ladies don't punch," Leni quoted her parents, "Not unless we have to. We have principles. And mace."

"Ugh, Leni," Lynn complained. "Just… push me."

"But-"

"Shove me."

"But-"

"For crying out loud, Leni! _Hit! Me!_"

Leni cringed away from her voice, lashing out her arm with an open palm.

"Oof!"

Leni opened her eyes in time to see Lynn land several feet away. She heaved and rolled on the ground in pain.

"Good… Hit…" she gasped.

Leni, horrified, stepped forward to help her.

"Wait..! Wait..." She held her hand up. "Stay there."

She pulled out a tape measure and fed it out to Leni. Leni grabbed the end for her.

Lynn looked at the measurement and whistled.

"Okay…" Lynn croaked, slowly getting back up. "That's enough… super strength training."

She took a minute to catch her breath and remove her extra gear.

"Is there anything else you can do?" she coughed, throwing the helmet and padding to the side.

"Um…" Leni thought. "I don't know."

She tensed up as she heard something pierce through the air. She turned her head towards the main city.

"Did you…hear that?" Leni wondered, though her thoughts weren't on the question or her sister's confused answer.

"Hear what?" Lynn looked around.

Leni didn't explain. She zipped across the back yard, her toes barely skimming the grass. She sped through the house and back to her room. She didn't have a costume, but she had to protect her identity _somehow_.

That's when she had the thought to where clothes that were completely out of season. It may not be a mask, but it would have to do. She quickly changed into a sweater, jacket, gloves, skirt, black leggings, and winter boots. All matching, of course. To hide her face, she wrapped a scarf securely around her neck and stuffed the rest of it in her jacket.

"Leni, what's-"

She didn't have time to address Luna's concern, as she threw the window open and jumped out into the sky.

The autumn weather could do little to her winter outfit, but she felt chills all the same as she took flight through open air. She soared higher and higher, the brutal wind telling her she was going faster than any red convertible. Or roller coaster. She was glad her hair was in a ponytail. It wasn't exactly her style, but it would have gotten in the way.

She stopped when she reached the downtown. She turned in a circle, looking for the source of the scream. She spotted it: a column of rising smoke from one of the buildings.

She flew to it without a second thought. The building was two stories, at most. People were lined up on the sidewalk, watching the blaze.

Or watching _her_, as she soon realized. She drifted to one of the windows to get inside, as another scream echoed in her ears. She was in the right place. The fire was too hot here. She tried another window, and then another, but was met with the same resistance.

"Over there!" someone pointed out from down below. Leni glanced at them and saw them pointing at a window on the far side. There was, admittedly, less fire in that entrance, though not by much.

Well, it was something. Leni flew over and ducked inside. Her senses were bombarded, as she inhaled smoke through her nose and the fire roared in her ears.

"Hello?!" she called out. The scarf was muffling her voice. She had to remove it.

"Anyone here?!" she tried again, inhaling more smoke and coughing. She fell to her knees, under the rising smoke. Right, smoke and fire; you can't stand up. She took a second to catch her breath and hack out the impurities in her lungs.

"_Help_!"

Another desperate cry. Somewhere above her. Luckily, a part of the ceiling crumbled in front of her. She could hear the woman cry out again in surprise.

Leni took flight again, diving through the hole and spotting the woman in a far corner. The walls were being devoured by flames. They blocked the way to a window.

"Don't worry!" Leni called out, drifting over to her. "I'll get you out!"

She hooked one arm under her legs and the other around her back. Lifting the woman up was…easier than she expected. Easier than when she and her sisters were goofing around a year ago, trying to lift each other up.

_Focus, Leni, Focus._

She looked around, and spotted a hole in the roof, perhaps the same spot that crumbled through the multiple floors.

She whizzed through the opening, going over the roof and down to street level with the other pedestrians.

"Oh my gosh…" the woman stumbled into the arms of a friend. "I thought I was going to… thank you. Whoever you are."

Leni meant to say, "You're welcome," but ended up hacking and coughing. She then remembered that her face was exposed. She pulled her scarf up in time for the phone cameras to aim themselves at her.

"Who are you?" Someone asked her.

"I'm…" she fought to breath. She almost answered with her name. Superheroes are supposed to be a secret. "I'm here to help."

With that, she shot up into the sky like a rocket, flying above the buildings and back home to her awaiting family.


	3. Chapter 3

Leni opened her eyes as the table scrolled her out of the machine.

"Fascinating," Lisa muttered at the computer screen. "Simply fascinating."

"What's you got Lisa?" Luna leaned over her shoulder.

"Leni..." she concluded, "Is radioactive."

Luna immediately jumped in place, locking eyes with her older sister and standing between the eldest and Lily. Leni blinked.

"Radioactive?" she wondered aloud. "I've never been on the radio before..."

"It isn't toxic," Lisa explained further. Luna relaxed a little. "It's just lower levels. This matches up with my theory of the Generator explosion."

"Okay," Luna sighed. "Look, I'm no genius but... I_ know_ radiation doesn't work like that. It doesn't give you superpowers, it just... kills."

"Previously known forms of it, yes," Lisa agreed. "But this type is nothing like what I've read about. I require more research to identify it. But, for now, second eldest sibling, I can confirm that you are a) not dying, and b) not a danger to others."

"Oh, okay," Leni breathed easily. "That's good."

"I finished your dress!" Lola declared from the other room.

"_We_ finished the dress." Lucy growled, following the other girl in the room.

The final product was... a lot to be desired. It used to be a dress, but clearly the two of them had bickered over every stitch. It was splotched in pink and black, it had one puffy shoulder sleeve, and half of the skirt was torn. Leni cringed as she held it up. No human being should_ ever _wear this.

Despite its flaws, she smiled at the two girls.

"It looks cool!" she declared, purposefully picking a neutral word that didn't mean anything to them. "In fact, if the theme was "Fairytale Apocalypse," this would be the perfect dress! But, if its alright with you two, I want to design my costume myself."

Lola, still beaming with pride, nodded enthusiastically. "Okay!"

Lucy nodded. "I understand."

Leni looked back to Luna and Lisa. "Do you guys need anything else?"

"That will be all, sister," Lisa dismissed. "I will summon you for more tests another day."

Leni left the room, followed by the younger kids to do their own thing. Luna turned to the tiny scientist.

"Okay," Luna said, "What's the actual prognosis?"

Lisa grabbed a clipboard with scribbles slashed across it. "With all of your accounts and observations put together; I've compiled a list of her abilities. I've also done a quick psychological profile of our sister and..."

"Lisa," Luna warned her. "This is not the time for dramatic pauses."

"She's changed, Luna," Lisa decided. "Perhaps she's still changing. The fact of the matter is, I still don't have enough data to determine what is happening to Leni. Sole human levitation and flight, without the aid of any tools or suits whatsoever, is scientifically impossible. We could wake up tomorrow, and discover that she evaporated in her sleep. Never to be seen again."

She shifted in her chair.

"I'm...I'm terrified of her," she confessed. "I'm terrified _for_ her."

"Hey, Hey," Luna scooped the five year old out of her chair and put her head over her shoulder. "It's going to be okay. No science research on that, but I got a good feeling. We're all going to look after her, okay?"

She sniffed and pondered.

"She should not be out there," Lisa informed. "At all."

"I know," Luna agreed. "But that girl is_ stubborn_. At least this way, we can help her if she's in trouble."

* * *

Leni leaned back in her seat, stretching her arms above her head. The costume was almost finished.

"Hey, Leni!" Lynn appeared behind her. "Time for practice!"

"Practice?" she wondered.

"Yeah," she pulled her out of her room and into the room she shared with Lucy. "You need to be more aggressive! Punch this bag!"

Leni hesistated, but gave the sandbag a pathetic shove.

Lynn sighed and, before she could say anything, Leni broke into her own tangent.

"Look," she said, "Why do I need to be aggressive? I don't want to fight anybody! The city is dealing with so much hate and violence that…"

She sighed. "I know part of being a superhero is to "catch the bad guy" like in Lincoln's shows and movies, but that's just not me. Why can't I just… help people? Why can't I love in a world that hates?"

Lynn stared at her for a moment, before lowering her head in thought with her hands on her hips. She bit her lip, trying to find the best answer.

"Hey."

The two of them look up to see their little brother in the doorway. He stepped in and held Leni's hand.

"I know you don't want to hurt anybody," he told her, "You're right, the world could use a little more love instead of hate. But… do you remember what was on the news the other night? All that… bad, bad stuff happening? We don't want any of that happening to you. We want to help you with this superhero thing you've taken up, but the last thing we want is to learn that you're not coming back home."

He paused, letting the message sink in a little.

"So help the people you can," he said, "That's great. Keep at it. But defend yourself, too. Make sure that you make it home. Make sure you come back to us, okay?"

Leni blinked at him. Her vision started to blur, and she had to take a second to wipe away the brimming tears at the edge of her vision.

"Okay." She agreed. "Okay. So… How do I punch?"

Lynn stepped forward, holding her fists up to her chin.

"You hold 'em up like this," she instructed. "Your arms should look like this before _and_ _after_ you throw a punch. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Alright, now repeat after me."

The lesson continued, and Lincoln left them to it. He passed by Luna, who was leaning against the wall next to the door. Lincoln jumped with a start when he saw her.

"Good job," she told him. "With the coaching."

Lincoln nodded. He loved superheroes. He loved the idea of them. People inspiring people. Catching bad guys. Saving the day. He do it in a heartbeat, no bones about it.

But its not him. It's his sister, Leni. The most delicate and loving girly flower in the whole household. If something ever happened to her…

"I need you to keep an eye on her," Luna told him. "If you see anything weird going on, you let me know, first thing. Alright?"

The boy nodded. "What kind of things?"

"Just… anything weird," she shrugged.

"You mean weirder than bras and girl stuff."

"…" Luna shut her eyes and opened them again. "Yes, I mean weirder than girl stuff."

"Okay," Lincoln coughed. "I'm going downstairs."

He walked by and left Luna shaking her head and trying not to laugh.

* * *

"Well," Leni fidgeted. "How do I look?"

She spun around, letting her sister evaluate her. Leni managed to make the suit into a stylish dress that reached halfway down her thighs. She wore black leggings that tucked into the inside of some cuffed boots. Her arms and shoulders were exposed, but she had the sense to have some cuffed gloves. At her shoulders were the square sliver clips that held her cape in place. The cape didn't reach too far, just to her waist. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail behind her, exposing more of her face. The black domino mask that framed her eyes was held by a string wrapped around her head.

"Wow," Luna admired. "You look great. How did you get the boots and gloves into that turquoise color?"

"It's a secret." She held a finger to her lips. "I don't think I'm done with it, though. I think I can stylize it a little more."

"Yeah?" Luna thought, picking at her lip. She seemed worried. "You remember to put in the padding?"

"Yes," Leni complained, "Even though it makes me look fatter, I put Lynn's sports padding into the suit."

"Good," Luna nodded. "That's good."

There was a pause.

"Leni," Luna confessed, "I'm worried about you."

Leni upturned her nose and turned her head. "Well don't be."

"Leni," Luna got off the bed, "You changed."

"Um, duh."

"I mean ever since Lori left for college," Luna clarified. "You've been in a funk for a month now."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"We're talking about it," Luna insisted.

"No."

With that, Leni opened up the window and stepped out. Using her flight, she was out and over the city in a matter of minutes.

"Well that's going to be annoying," Luna muttered.

* * *

Leni flew up high over the city, an evident scowl under her new mask. Stupid Luna, thinking she knows everything…

Leni shook her head. Come on, now. This is supposed to be her super hero debut! She didn't want to be grumpy and scowling. Be happy! Be cheerful! Be-

A scream made her jolt. She heard it as though the person was floating next to her. She looked down at the city, searching for the source.

She spotted it, a woman being chased by ruffians. She needed help!

Leni flew straight downward like a diving bird of prey. She descended all the down to an alleyway, and hovered just a couple feet off the ground. Her eyes were locked onto the two boys, who were cornering a woman clutching her bag.

"Look," one of the boys said, "We don't want trouble. We just want-"

"Man, cut it out with that crap!" the other slapped his friend's shoulder with his free hand. "This _is_ the trouble, _idiota_! Now give us the bag!"

Leni looked between the two of them. They couldn't have been older than her. One of them even sounded familiar. The woman in front of them stared at Leni with wide and panicked eyes. If she hadn't been brought to tears by the mugging, she was brought to tears now, as she's trying to comprehend what she was seeing. The more aggressive of the two was waving a gun around at the lady as he made demands.

Leni put her hands on her hips. "How. Dare. You."

The two turned to the voice and screamed when they saw Leni. The mean one aimed his gun at Leni and fired.

Now, Leni had a hard time describing exactly how it happened, but at the second the gun flashed its shots- bullets being fired at her head a body- time slowed down. The woman with the bag looked on in horror. The mugger's friend screamed and covered his ears. Leni watched the bullet's destination. She was supposed to die at this exact second. Instead, though, she moved. Her head moved to the right, as she ducked out of the way. The mugger moved his arm to follow her, shooting more bullets along the way, but his arm was moving _so slow_.

"_I should get that gun out of his hand_." Leni thought to herself.

With everything still in slowmo, she drifted over to him and grabbed his arm with her right hand. He looked at her over his shoulder, startled.

"Please don't do that," she told him. "I don't know who your parents are, but I'm sure they're disappointed in you."

With her free left arm, she took the gun out of the boy's hand and tossed it aside. The other one found enough of his bearings to brandish something, and swing it at her. Leni let out a yelp as something stung her side as she stumbled back. The two muggers were free, but she was standing between them, the victim, and the gun on the ground behind her.

"Come on, let's go!" the timid one ushered his buddy out of the alley. They both ran out of sight.

Leni sighed and looked down at herself. There was a cut across her belly, it didn't look deep, but she was no expert. There was a small amount of blood.

She turned her attention to the woman, still speechless. Still scared.

"Are you okay?" Leni asked her. She nodded. "Let's get you somewhere safe."

She walked with her to the sidewalk.

"I don't know what to-" the woman was flabbergasted. "I just… thank you."

"You're welcome," Leni beamed. "Can you make it home okay?"

"Yes," she heaved. "Yes, I think so. Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Anytime."

With that, Leni's feet left the ground. She rose some miles in the air, above the building line.

This felt amazing.


	4. Chapter 4

Leni took the mask from her sister's grasp.

"You'll find that I've made some significant improvements," Lisa commented. "For starters, the adhesive around the edges will allow it to stick to your face more effectively. You may also spot the streaming camera here."

Leni blinked. "Streaming camera?"

"It feeds directly into a personal server of mine," Lisa assured her. "One that is heavily encrypted, and I don't use anymore. Also."

Some of those words flew over Leni's head. She didn't know enough about computers to make a good call on Lisa's claim. She would just have to trust her.

She handed the older girl a small bead. "This can be placed in your ear. I've rearranged Lincoln's police scanner into a two way communicator."

Leni examined it and placed it in her ear.

"Hello?"

Lisa grabbed the microphone off the desk and spoke into it.

"Testing," she said, "Testing. One-two-three."

Leni blinked and smiled wide. "That's so cool! It's like you're in the room with me!"

Lisa gave her a deadpanned look. Oops. That's not what she meant to say.

"I mean," she corrected. "I can hear you perfectly with this."

"Good," Luna finally spoke. "That way we can help you when you need it."

Leni nodded. She was smiling, but part of her mind was still in that argument they had. She wasn't really sure she wanted to hear anything from Luna at the moment. Regardless, she joined both Lincoln and Leni to Lisa's little gift presentation.

"I've also compiled what I think is a complete list of your abilities," Lisa surmised. "Or as Lincoln declared: Your "super powers.""

"What else are we going to call them?" Lincoln shrugged. "Okay, so we already figured out that you have super hearing. And flight."

"Okay," Leni followed.

"But we also learned that you don't have unlimited strength," Lincoln continued, "as the test with Lynn determined."

Leni nodded, remembering trying to lift up the car without much success, even with her new muscles.

"And you also have super healing," Lincoln told her, "as we've discovered with your knife wound healing overnight."

"That is not an excuse to get reckless," Luna clarified. "That cut wasn't deep, but you are clearly _not_ invincible."

Leni didn't feel like agreeing with Luna, but she didn't disagree with her either.

"And, do to your description of the mugging," Lincoln continued, "We know you can move faster and see faster than the rest of us."

"See faster?" Leni wondered.

Lisa reached over with her little arms and slapped her brother. "That phrase is an insult to science, and I will not stand for it."

She sighed, explaining it. "Your… heightened metabolism gives you the ability to process information at an accelerated rate. You can perceive dangers coming at you and react much more quickly than the human eye can follow."

"If she can do that," Luna wondered, "Why isn't she… uh... _as_ smart as you?

Leni was struggling to keep up with Lisa's vocabulary, but she got the sense that Luna was insulting her.

"Hmm," Lisa pondered. "It could be that only her reflexes are affected. Her natural intelligence remaining as is."

"Kids!" a voice called from downstairs. "Time for dinner!"

"Ah, finally," Lisa hopped down from her swivel chair. "Nothing more satisfying than a nice meal after a long day's work."

"Ditto," Leni agreed.

The small group excited the scientist's room, before the blond paused in her tracks. Ever since getting her powers, she could hear a lot of things going on at once. Whispers, conversations, arguments, police sirens… It took Leni a whole day to determine that there wasn't a lot that the police weren't already handling. But now… she was hearing something that she couldn't ignore.

"_Everyone! Down on the ground! Get one the ground_!"

"_Nobody move! This is a robbery_!"

"_Come here, kid! Outta-da-way_!"

"_Mommy_!"

Leni's breath became more labored. She needed to be there. Now.

"Leni?" Luna was walking behind her. "What's wrong?"

"Cover," was the only word Leni could get out before zipping over to her room.

With a change of clothes, she was out the window. With her new mask and earpiece in place, she felt confident she could handle the situation.

She just needed to be there. That's it.

She found the location of the robbery: a bank with a grand lobby. The robbers all had Disney themed plastic Halloween masks, and were all armed. The customers and employees were lying on the ground next to each other on their stomachs. Most of them had their hands behind their heads, though there were two exceptions.

One stubborn girl with her phone recording, and an elderly man with a cane. The old man was begging one of the robbers- Mickey Mouse- to leave him alone, as he physically couldn't get down on his hands and knees like he was told to. The girl had her phone raised to record every second.

"Hey!" one of the robbers noticed the girl. "Turn that phone off! You want to get shot, girlie!"

"On the floor, gramps! I ain't telling you again!"

Leni gulped as she floated in the room. What to do? How can she help all these people at once?

"What the hell…"

Leni gasped as she realized she'd been spotted. One of the robbers- Donald Duck- was staring up at her.

"Uh…" he said, to another, "You guys seeing this too?"

Soon, Leni had the attention of every robber in the room. Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie, and Daisy all stared up at her in disbelief.

"Is that…?" One of them wondered.

"Shoot it!"

They opened fire at her. Leni was fast enough to see the bullets coming and duck and dodge out of their way. She flew around the room, playing the most vicious game of tag ever conceived, as bullet holes punched into the ceiling and lights above them.

All the while, everyone kept crying out from the gunshots.

"Need to stop this," Leni decided. "Have to start somewhere."

She flew over Goofy's head, and flew straight down, her heels acting like the tip of a missile. She landed on the guy's collar bone, before he could fire his shotgun. He crumbled to the ground, holding his shoulder and cussing up a storm.

Leni flew back up, just in time for more deadly projectiles to fly under her.

"Don't these things need bullets to fire?" She thought to herself. "Why do bad guys never need to reload?"

Suddenly one of the guns clicked. Mickey swore as he checked his weapon.

"I'm out!" he called to the others.

"Me too!" Minnie confirmed.

"Wow," Leni thought, "Lucky."

She dove for one with her arms outstretched. They were distracted, just long enough for her to make her move. She grabbed Donald by his jacket and lifted him off his feet. She threw him over her head at Daisy, knocking the two of them to the ground. She shot off like a rocket to Mickey, who was in the middle of reloading his machine gun.

With her arm reeled back, she laid out a punch across the masked man's face. He crumbled to the ground in a heap.

Now there was only Minnie.

He reloaded his handgun and took aim.

But Leni was already on top of him, grabbing his arm, pulling his body across her back, and judo-flipping him onto a service help desk. She used her flight to give the "fall" portion of the move a little extra damage, just to make sure he was out.

Leni surveyed the room. Looks like no one was hurt. Well, except for the bad guys. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, guys," she called out, "I'm going to, like, ask everyone to calmly stand up, and walk outside the building." As she spoke, she thought of more things to say. People started to get up and rush out the door. "The police are on their way (I think). If anyone needs more immediate assistance, speak up, please."

The old man from earlier raised his hand. He was breathing heavily, and had found a seat at one of the waiting chairs. The camera girl had stood up, but hadn't budged either.

Leni sighed. She could understand wanting to record something amazing… but there is a time _and a place_ for that!

"Okay," Leni was at the man's side. "Let's get both of you out of here."

She held onto his arm and patiently began to escort him out of the building. The girl, thankfully, followed close, her phone never leaving Leni's form.

Something thundered behind them. Leni felt a shiver up her spine and turned to the back of the building; where the bank's vault was, supposedly.

"Guys," a deep voice echoed through the room. "We got a problem."

A man stepped into the room, carrying an empty bag and scratching his head. He was absolutely massive, muscles bulging underneath his clothes. He was nine feet in height, easily, and his biceps were bigger than Leni's whole body. While the man's companions all wore suits with Disney masks, this one wore a black tank top, with baggy pants and boots. His head, which also looked too small for his muscular form, wore a smiley happy face mask.

"There's no money in the vault," he complained, "It's just a bunch of people's-"

He paused as he noticed his friends strewn about the room, unconscious.

"Junk…" He finished, before spotting Leni's colorful costume.

"No way," the man was incredulous. "You gotta be _kidding_ me."

He ripped his plastic mask away by pawing it with his massive fist. His face showed a scar slashed across his nose, and an even more wicked grin across his lips.

"Are a superhero?" he grinned. "Like in the movies?"

Leni looked between the giant man and the two people she was supposed to be escorting. She looked at the girl, still holding her phone with an expecting look.

"Take him," she ordered, "And get him out of here."

"But-" the girl tried to argue.

"Now!"

Leni never raised her voice. If she ever had an argument, her voice would get kind of squeaky. This time; it was an order. It came out like a bark. The tone was harsher than she initially intended, like she was berating the girl and giving the order all in one word.

The startled teenager finally put the phone away and started to help the old man outside. Leni faced the last robber.

"I love superhero movies," the villain sauntered closer to her. "the costumes, the one-liners, the big, beefy punchouts. The guys laughed at me when I said I could be a superhero. But you…"

He gestured to her like she was a celebrity. "You _get_ it, don't you?"

Leni braced herself, holding her arms out at her sides and bending her knees slightly.

"Don't." she ordered. "Surrender, and I'll see that you are treated fairly."

The veins on his neck pulsed as he clenched his fist. The more Leni stared at him, the less human he seemed. None of this looked healthy.

"And… just treated," Leni added. "For your ailment."

"Ailment?!" the man threw his head back and laughed. "I've never felt better! In fact…"

He cracked his knuckles.

"I think I'll start my own gang," he mused. "A regular Legion of Doom kind of gang. Like in the cartoons."

He raised a massive fist back and slammed it into the ground, almost turning Leni into paste.

"First I got to get out of here," he decided. "Right after I kill you!"

Leni floated around the room, zipping over and around the man's massive arms while he tried to swat her away like a fly. She chanced a glance over at the door. Luckily, the last two hostages were just making it outside. The people are safe, now Leni can handle-

Her train of thought was interrupted as the villain caught her.

"Aha!" he said. "Gotcha!"

He slammed her into the ground like he scored a touchdown. He then slammed his fist into her, knocking the wind out of her a second time.

Leni coughed and heaved, desperately trying to get air back into her lungs. He's too strong… How did those other superheroes do this? How'd they do it in the comics and movies?

"_Leni!"_

Leni gasped as she heard Lincoln's voice. He was here? How?! Where is he?

"_Think like Spider-Man!_" he instructed her through the earpiece. "_Get him to talk! Say something! Anything!" _

Leni huffed and fought to get back up. She looked up at the villain and saw him raise his massive fist above his head.

She kicked herself out of the way, diving across the ground and wincing as she rolled away. His fist slammed into where she was a half-second ago.

Rib. Busted rib. Making it hard to breathe.

As she gasped for air, she tried to think. She never had a broken _anything_ before. It didn't hurt like she thought it would.

Later, she learned about the effects of shock.

"If you're a superhero," Leni huffed. "Why're you robbing a bank?"

He gripped his hands in front of him. "With this strength, I can do _whatever_ I want. I can _take_ whatever I want. And no one can stop me! It's a freaking dream come true!"

Leni looked to one of the robbers lying around her. She wondered if he would be so bold with the muzzle of a gun pointed at his head. She'd never do that, but still…

Wait, maybe…

Leni launched herself at the muscular man, reeling her arm back and punching across his forehead. His head rattled around like a punching bag, smacking itself against his back and shoulders. It was funny, but in a kind of morbid way.

She floated above the ground behind him, forcing him to turn around to face her again.

"If you're a superhero," Leni continued. "What's your name gonna be?"

"Ugh," he groaned. He glared at her before answering. "My... old profession already gave me the privilege of a name. Crusher."

Subtly, Leni started drifting away from him. Sure enough, Crusher stepped forward to follow.

"Don't you think powers should be used to help people?" Leni prompted. "So many people have lost so much already. Why would you want to take even more? And from people that don't even deserve it!"

Crusher let out a chuckle.

"Girlie," he sympathized. "That's not the way the world really works. Right and wrong… that's determined by who's in charge. Whoever has the power. That used to be senators and businessmen. Now it's me. I'm the strongest one there is. And what I say… goes."

"Yeah?" Leni took a breath. "Well, I say…"

Crusher had been reaching out with his arm at her, following her the whole way. He didn't notice that she had been leading him into the open vault. Leni grabbed him by his middle finger, and pulled it as she flew under his legs. The sudden movement made him lose his balance, and did a full front-flip, landing hard on his back. The wind was knocked out of him.

Before he could recover, Leni flew out of the vault.

"You need a time out," Leni told him.

With all the strength she had, she pushed on the vault door, and shut it.

A loud "Clunk" sound was heard, as the vault door locked itself.

Leni, holding onto her side, stepped back and watched. If this didn't work, she didn't know what else she would do.

There was a bag on the door. Then another one. Then there was an unsettling barrage of banging on the door. For all of the villain's efforts, the door held.

"_Good job, Leni_!" she heard Luan in her ear. "_You caught the bad guy_ and _had a good comeback_!"

"_Now, just get home, Leni,_" Luna instructed over the microphone. "_Mom and Dad think you're out shopping right now and are kinda pissed._"

Leni grimaced at the pain in her side.

"Great…" she leaned against the wall. "What do you have for broken ribs?"

"Freeze! Don't move!"

Leni jumped with a start. The police were here.

"Hands above your head! Turn around slowly!"

Leni obeyed, breathing heavily.

"Bad guy is in there," she pointed to the vault. "I locked him in."

The police officer and his partner looked at each other. One of them, the nametag said "Hobs," ordered the other.

"Make sure the rest of the Disney gang don't get away," he said. "I'll handle this."

He nodded and walked back to the main room. Leni could hear other officers arresting the robbers.

"You can put your hands down," Officer Hobs put his gun away. "You mind answering some questions?"

"Oh," Leni relaxed, "Sure."

"What happened here, exactly?"

Leni blinked. "I stopped the bad guys."

"Yeah, but how?" Hobs questioned. "Did anyone die? Are you armed?"

Leni tilted her head. "No one died," she said. Then she had a terrible thought. "At least, since I showed up. Is everyone-?"

"The people are fine," Hobs gestured for her to calm down. "We got their getaway surrounded outside right now. What's your name, miss?"

"My name?" Leni echoed. She thought it over. "Um…"

A cacophony of suggestions bombarded her earlobe.

"_Miss Marvel!" _

_"Supergirl!"_

_"Guys! Guys!" _

_"Captain Sky!" _

_"Marvel Girl!" _

Leni slapped her hand over her ear. "_Stop_."

"What's that?"

Leni looked back up at the cop.

"I, uh," she stammered. "I hadn't decided yet."

"I see…" he nodded. "Now, I'm going to ask you to come with the station with me."

"_Leni, get out of there_."

"Now, I know the whole superhero thing means that-"

Leni's feet left the ground. Hobs watched her with caution, his hand on his side.

"I'm sorry," Leni apologized.

She flew around him, giving him a wide berth and zipping through the bank's lobby. She was outside before anyone could do or say anything. There was a crowd of people in the street, watching and waiting. Leni paused when she saw them down below, but they sure didn't. When they spotted her floating above them, they broke out into a thunderous applause.

Leni waved at them, and flew back home. Its hard to say what will be worse, the rib or her parents scolding her for going out alone.

But it was worth it, to see those people safe and sound.


	5. Chapter 5

"Help… Me…"

The heat poured out of the staggering figure. It melted tires and cracked windows. People ran, desperately crying out.

"Help… Me…!"

A surge of unnatural energies poured out of him. He dropped to his knees and called out in pain. Heat and fire pulsed outward. He screamed harder, louder, in the hopes that someone, anyone, could save him.

…

Leni flew over what the others had referred to as, "Ground Zero." Scorched buildings. Cars melting into the asphalt. Streetlights that collapsed under their own weight. Hundreds of people hospitalized.

What on earth could do this?

"_Hmmm…_" Lisa mused. "_Fascinating. The bomb sight does show a significant amount of scorching. If it was a bomb attack, as the news is currently suspecting, it is a rather poor attempt_."

"_I'm over here readying that it was a _person_ that did it_," Lynn chimed in.

"_This news sight says it's part of a gang war_," Luan offered.

"_We clearly have a lot of conflicting info_," Luna told Leni directly. "_Float around and see what you can find out. Lisa and I will help with spotting clues_."

Leni obeyed. Drifting closer. The heat was oppressive and hung in the air around her. The blast happened an hour ago, but a lot of the asphalt still look gooey; like a tar pit.

"Don't want to touch that," Leni muttered.

"Hey! You!"

Leni jolted and turned to the edge of the crime scene. Police had managed to keep the population away from the sight, but the crowds haven't dispersed.

"It's a crime scene, miss!" a familiar officer called out to her. "We have the perimeter for a reason."

Leni drifted over to him. Several police officers gave shocked stares, and people recorded on their phones.

"Officer Hobbs," Leni greeted. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Hobbs greeted back, only in a more suspicious tone. "I never caught your name."

"Oh," Leni blinked. "I hadn't decided yet."

"Uh huh," he swiped at his nose. "Wasn't asking about your costume. Look, I know you mean well, but go home today. I got a girl at home just like you, and I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'm not going to get hurt," she insisted. "I'm just here to… look around."

Hobbs shook his head. "Girl… Miss. I can't let you mess around with evidence. We got guys coming down to look at this mess. I can't have you making marks and leaving footprints! I'll lose my job."

"Um… Mr. Hobbs," Leni corrected politely, "I don't leave footprints. And I won't touch anything, promise. I'll be gone before any of your guys get here."

Hobbs shook his head. He looked around, like he was both considering it, and looking for anyone to tell him no.

"Three minutes," he decided. "No touching. Then I'm calling you back over, I'm getting your name, and I'm taking you home."

"Deal," Leni agreed. "At least… on the first part."

Her boots left the ground and she drifted over the crime scene.

"_He might have a point_," Luna buzzed into her ear. "_This… this is above our paygrade, dudette_."

"_He's just trying to do his job_," Lincoln dismissed. "_Classic Commissioner Gordon type. He'll warm up to us eventually_."

"_Linc, this isn't a comic book_," Luna told him. "_If he thinks we're breaking the law, he'll arrest us_."

"_Or shoot us_," Lynn muttered.

"_Well, the good news is_," Luan informed,_ "as far as I can tell, there haven't been any casualties. Just some burns and a light easy-oven baking_."

Amidst all this, Leni scanned the area. Tar, melted metal, broken glass… scorch marks…

Some of the scorching led down an alleyway. Leni looked at the building across the street.

"Lisa," Leni wondered, "Does this seem weird to you?"

"_How do you mean_?"

Leni looked up the side of the building, documenting it with the camera in her mask. Then she turned the camera back across the pavement, and back to the alley.

"_Yes_…" Lisa agreed. "_The scorching continues… It's lessened, but I believe our "bomb" walked away mid-detonation. Follow that trail_."

Leni complied. She noticed goops of asphalt speckling the trail as well. She followed the trail to a square lot. Lots of trash piled up back here. A dumpster sat in the far corner, half empty.

"_That's the end of the scorching_," Luna noted. "_No sign of any bomb. Or anybody else_."

Leni looked up, spotting a back window of an apartment. A little boy looked back down at her, holding a stuffed dog. The two made eye contact, and the little boy pointed at something.

The dumpster. The scorching didn't reach that far, but some of the asphalt had dripped up its side.

Leni levitated over the garbage bin, peering inside and jumping when she spotted what she was looking for.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Hi."

"Hey," the person in the bin greeted back.

He was bare foot, wearing dirty slacks and a jacket. He had dark skin, brown eyes, and a fade haircut. He looked exhausted. He must be about Leni's age, and he was kind of…

Leni coughed into her hand.

"Uh…" she wondered. "Are you okay?"

The boy took a minute before answering.

"You know…" he breathed. "I don't think I am."

Leni sympathized. "It's okay. I'm here to help."

"…"

"Would you like to come out of there?" Leni offered.

"…Okay."

With effort, the boy managed to step out of the dumpster. Leni noticed the same black substance that stained the sidewalk stained his ankles. His abs, however, remained flawless.

"So…" he asked, "You're an actual… superhero? Like, uh… Justice League stuff…?"

"Well," Leni shrugged, helping him down. "Trying to be."

"Cool, cool." He sat down. "Sorry. I'm just… really tired."

"I bet."

She sat down next to him.

"What's your name?" Leni wondered.

"Friends call me TJ." He answered. "You?"

"Leni Loud," she smiled. Then her face froze. There was a click in her ear. "Oh. Wait. Don't tell anyone."

He gave a weak laugh. "Promise."

"You…" he added. "Were you the one… who flew into that fire… like a week ago?"

"Yup!" Leni agreed. "That's me."

He smiled. "That was… You saved my Aunt Deborah. Thanks."

"I'm glad to hear that!" Leni smiled. "Is she doing okay?"

"I…I don't know," he confessed. "I haven't seen her in… a while…"

"Why not?"

He stared off contemplatively. "I don't know."

The two of them sat in silence for a little while.

"I didn't want any of this to happen," TJ then confided. "I didn't mean to… I set that building on fire. I almost killed my Aunt, because I couldn't control… this."

He held up his hand. A spark of flame flared up in his palm and coated his hand.

"I was at the gym," he explained. "Just getting started on my workout, and then…"

The flames in his hand went out, and he made a gesture with them.

"Boom," he said. "I got hit with this. I don't know what's going on, I just…"

"You could be a hero," Leni realized. "Like me."

TJ looked at her. Even her sisters seemed stunned out of their silence on the other end of her earpiece.

"_Uh… Leni…_" Lincoln gently called.

"What do you say to a team up?" Leni suggested. "Sometime tomorrow?"

"_Leni_." Luna called.

"Uh… I guess?" TJ shrugged. "Couldn't hurt, I guess. But uh…"

He looked down at himself. "I'm not really dressed for the occasion."

"I can take car of that!" Leni brushed it off. "As long as you go see your Aunt. I'm sure she's worried about you."

"I…" he paused. "…Okay."

...

Despite protests, Leni met with the young man at a coffee shop. She had taken the bus, and packed both her her costume and his in some bags.

"Hey!" She greeted. "You're here!"

"Yeah. I'm here," TJ scratched the back of his head. He seems to be well rested, and in a fresh set of clothes. "So… what happens in a team-up? Is this like a date, or…?"

Leni smiled. "It can if you want it to be. Oh, but first…"

She pulled off the black shopping bag off her shoulder and handed it to him. "I spent all night on this!"

"Uh. Is this…" he looked inside. "…Are you serious?"

"Yup!" she grinned. "I'm going to go change. You should too!"

She left him to it, stepping into the restroom and changing out her clothes. Lincoln told her that it's a superhero staple to do it as quickly as possible. Something about Superman in a box. Leni hadn't exactly mastered that aspect of it yet, quickly debating the practicality of a transforming dress before clasping on her cape and stepping out of the stall. She checked herself out in the mirror, making sure she looked her absolute best for her date.

She double checked that her mask was secure on her face when someone stepped out of the stall next to her. The other woman froze in the doorway as she saw her. Leni waved and shouldered her bag, exiting the bathroom.

She entered the shop at the same time as TJ. Who looked down at himself.

"I'm… not really sold on this costume…" he told her.

"Oh, don't be like that!" she lightly slapped his shoulder. "You look great!"

Leni looked him up and down. She had estimations of his measurements, and Lisa had a surprising amount of fire retardant materials for her to use. The boots were black, as well as the legs that reached up under his arms. The skintight suit had a red chest and shoulders, reaching over his arms and down to his fingers. The red ended with an emblem on his chest, a gold emblem that encapsulated the shape of fire. Golden trimmings lined up his legs and shoulders. Like Leni, he had a mask over his eyes; only the material was colored red.

"If you say so," TJ shrugged. "You did this in one night?"

"I've had _a lot_ of practice."

"Wow." TJ nodded. He looked up. "If… we should probably get going. You're fan club's surrounding us."

Leni looked around, seeing more and more phones facing their direction.

"Oh. Right," she said, grabbing his bag and shouldering it with hers. "Let's go, then."

She grabbed his wrist and pulled him outside.

"Wait," her date protested. "Where are we-?"

"Just hold on!" she cheerfully answered.

Leni then got behind him, hooked her arms under his, and lifted him off the ground with ease. He gave a shout as his feet left the ground and they rapidly rise into the air.

The two of them were then on the roof of a nearby building. Leni set their bags off to the side and faced the boy.

"A little warning, next time?" His hands were on his knees. "Jeezums."

"I said to hang on!" Leni giggled.

TJ smirked at her, taking some time to breathe. "You're bad," he flirted, "For a superhero."

Leni smiled.

"The first part of a team-up is to see what we can both do," she told him, remembering Lincoln's advice. "What are your powers?"

TJ blinked. "Uh… Fire?"

"Yeah, but what you do with it?" Leni asked him. "Can you shoot it? Can you fly?"

He blinked and thought about it. He looked at his own hands and sparked up the flames.

He threw his hands out, over the ledge and away from Leni. Some of the flames lashed out, but it didn't reach out. A myriad of methods were tested; hand gestures, conjuring emotions, and a lot of thrown hands.

"I guess that settles it," TJ sighed. "No flame throwing. Just covering my arms."

"_Would still give Mike Tyson a run for his money, though_," Lynn buzzed into Leni's ear.

"_What if he rubbed his hands together?_" Lincoln suggested.

"Maybe…" Leni suggested. "Put your hands together? Like molding clay?"

TJ blinked, and tried it. The fire grew between his palms, expanding in his fingers. Within seconds, TJ was holding a raging ball of fire the size of a basketball.

"Wow," Leni marveled.

"Yeah," TJ agreed. "That's definitely not nothing."

He tossed it in the air, letting it smash into the ground like a pumpkin. The fire splashed outward briefly, before dissipating. Leni barely had time to shout.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Little too hot there."

"It's okay," she brushed off, glancing at her leggings for any holes. "We'll just have to be careful."

TJ looked to the side and cleared his throat.

"Um…" he stammered. "I just wanted to say, before anything else happens… Thank you. Nobody's really believed in me like this. Nobody ever just looked at me and called me a hero like that."

Leni smiled at him. He was such a handsome boy, and that costume was doing him a lot of favors.

"If you're feeling up to it," Leni suggested, "We can go on patrol. See who needs help."

"Patrol?" TJ shook his head. "_Dios Mio_, this really is comic book land. Lead the way."

Leni stepped to the ledge, closing her eyes and reaching out with her ears. She was getting better control over it. Now it was almost like a switch in her head. She needed to listen to someone? _Flip._ Suddenly she had the voices of a hundred-plus people spilling into her eardrums.

She listened for a few minutes. She spoke as she heard the plights around her.

"Mother fussing at her kids," Leni reported. "Nothing to do about that. A couple arguing. You tell her, Bradford. Carjacker. But he's already being arrested. Let's see…"

"Uh, Leni?"

The blond girl opened her eyes and turned to her new partner.

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"Sure!"

...

It was a good day to make money.

Cops running around, chasing all everyone but them. They got fires to put out, and while the big names like the Six-Sevens and the Hellion Angels, the Mad Dogs make their claim.

Today, they were waiting on a buyer, someone was coming along to take a look at the big rock these boys collected. It was big, glowing, and the rumors claimed it would give you superpowers. They found several, and after doing… _whatever_ they could to activate the crystal and make it give them powers, they got nothing. Fortunately, the body of the reactor didn't even have to cool before word got around about a market for these things. All they had to do was wait here, and look professional. The truck was behind him, under Spider's guard.

Spider was a survivor. He was clever, and his reputation is well known. He was as fierce as they come.

Just stand here and wait. That was the idea. Then… T-Dog went missing. Then Knives. Then Frank.

Spider snapped his head to the left, then to the right.

"Where the hell is Frank?" He shouted at the others.

"Went out for a smoke."

"How long ago?"

His peer shrugged, his nose stuck into some cards he was playing with another.

Spider groaned, muttering several swears.

"I gave him one job," he complained. "One job! Stand here, and look professional."

"That's two jobs," his comrade corrected.

"Well counting isn't one of the damn jobs!" Spider barked. "Go get him!"

"Spider!"

The leader turned to one of his buddies, running in and out of breath.

"Frank," he huffed. "He's… he's…"

"Spit it out!"

"Superman!" the man exclaimed. "Human Torch… Superheroes! We got superheroes outside!"

"Superheroes?" Spider echoed, skeptical. The man nodded, sounding sure. The others got up from their card game, rounding the number up to five. He looked to them and pulled out a handgun. "We'll see just how _super_ they really are."

A rush of wind blew past him. Something about his grip was different. He had it held against his head, pointing straight up, but he brought it back down to see it changed out for a flower.

"Like, make love, not war." A voice declared behind them.

They stumbled in shock, looking to see the girl on the news standing on top of the van.

"I don't know," another voice echoed. "I think the concept is lost on these _Perros_."

Spider turned in time to duck, as a flaming fist flew over his head and into the face of another guy. He scrambled away as the brightly dressed intruder threw punch after flaming punch.

"You," he breathed as he saw the costumed hero. "It's you."

The girl in the cape drifted down, not realizing he was behind her. She blocked a punch or two and retaliated. Spider was quick on his feet: he didn't hesitate, opening the already cracked door of the van, grabbing the bag, and running.

Superheroes. Freaking _Superheroes._ They're for real. He looked at the bag as he ran out the door.

"If those morons can get powers, so can I."

…

Leni breathed a sigh of relief. The violence was over. All the thugs were unconscious. When they wake up, they'll be nursing headaches and bruises that she didn't even want to think about. She was suddenly thankful for her healing abilities.

"_Police on its way,"_ Luna buzzed in her ear. "_Might want to make yourself scarce while you can._"

Leni nodded. She looked over to TJ. He looked over each of the thugs, and growled.

"Not here," he cursed under his breath. "Not here."

"Who's not here?"

TJ looked up, like he just remembered she was with him. He stared at her.

"…" he coughed. "Guess I should be honest with you."

"What?"

"These guys," he gestured around him, "The Mad Dogs. They've been terrorizing my neighborhood since I was eight. They killed my Mom and-"

He stopped himself, shaking his head.

"You don't know what its been like," he told her. "Being so…angry… and so powerless to do anything."

"What-" Leni thought it over. "Why didn't you talk to the-"

"Because they don't care!" TJ suddenly screamed. "Mad Dogs are beneath them! Police don't want to take care of them. Or they can't. But I can."

He held up his hand, flames rising off of him. "I can burn them all to cinders. Fix everything. Put down the Mad Dogs, once and for all."

"No," Leni shook her head, "No!"

TJ looked at her. He suddenly seemed less amused.

"We don't kill people," Leni objected. "We can't! That's what thugs, and gangsters do! We have to be better than that!"

"We're not, Leni," he argued. "Pretending otherwise…? You're just kidding yourself. We're all humans. We're all animals. Every last one of us. Why pretend any different?"

"No," Leni said again. "I helped you yesterday because no one got hurt! I kept you away from the police because I didn't want them getting the wrong idea about you! But now… I know you're just throwing a tantrum. Another one! You're just… a walking Meltdown!"

"Heh," TJ wiped the smile off his face with the back of his hand. "Must be nice, living in a world of black and white. No room for in-betweens."

"I'm not-" Leni was starting to get choked by frustration. "I know I sound like it sometimes, but I'm not stupid! I know the world is weird, and complicated! But none of that changes what's right and what's wrong!"

TJ stared at her, unblinking. Leni then realized that he's standing over these boys.

"The police are coming," she suddenly told him. "Walk away from this."

TJ then blinked, staring at her in confusion. Leni watched as his eyes went to her ear, before returning to her eyes.

"Heh," he laughed bitterly. "You got a whole setup, don't you?"

He shook his head.

"Have fun being a hero, Leni," TJ stepped backwards, towards a back door. "I've got work to do. And thanks for the suit. Don't know how I'd look this good _and_ be fireproof."

"Wait!" Leni said, "Are you going to hurt more people?"

"Maybe," he said, "Maybe not. But you can't really tell on me, can you? Not without me spilling your secret, _Leni_."

Leni was stunned. He wouldn't… No. He would. Leni knew next to nothing about him. They only met yesterday, and now she watched as he walked away.

"See ya," he waved without looking back.

Leni, now distraught and finding it hard to breathe, flew out the opposite way. She soared through the skies with tears in her eyes.

She messed up.

She messed up so bad.


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't believe you told him!" Luna scolded her.

"Why didn't you stop me then!?" Leni fired back from her seat on her bed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because Lincoln hit the mute button!" Luna pointed to the boy, sitting on Lori's bed with his head bowed and fingers laced. "I would have absolutely-"

She threw her hands up, too angry to find words, now.

"It's not just your secret, Leni," Luna continued. "You brought us in on it. You have twelve people, in this house, that are vulnerable now that some super powered psychopath knows your name. The only thing keeping us safe now is if he doesn't Tweet it, or go blabbing it to his buddies!"

"I'll protect you," Leni stood.

Luna rolled her eyes. "You can't even protect yourself half the time."

The two girls glared at each other. There was electricity in the air, and it was all Leni could do to not lunge at her. She could strangle her right now!

"Get. Out."

Luna tilted her head. Not getting the message.

"Get out. Of my room."

Luna continued to stare at her. Eventually she saw that Leni wasn't backing down, and shook her head.

"Pssht. Whatever." She walked out. "Your Song. Not mine. What do I care?"

Luna slammed the door to her own room across the hall and Leni sat back down on the bed with her head in her hands.

"What am I doing…?" She asked out loud.

Pulling the skin under her eyes, she looked across the room to her brother, who she forgot was there. He hadn't looked up since the argument started.

"Lincoln?" Leni called to him. "Are you okay?"

His eyes flicked up at her, before immediately retreating back down.

"I'm sorry." He said in a hoarse whisper.

"For what?"

"I've been…" He sniffed, wiping his face with his arm. "I haven't been a good brother."

"Aw, Linky," Leni got up and sat next to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Of course you have."

"No," he shook his head. "When I showed you that stuff… all those shows and movies… I was just goofing around. And then when you told us you had powers, I got so excited… I thought it'd be just like the stories. All those comic books… I don't think I should have encouraged this…"

"Lincoln."

The sternness of her voice startled the boy. He looked up at her.

"This was my choice," she told him. "And I wanted to do it right. I'm still figuring this out. So you don't have to worry about it. You didn't do anything wrong."

Lincoln looked down. The two sat in silence for a little while.

"I'm going to do some research," he decided, standing up. "Some superheroes have real world problems. I guess to like… spice up the story, or something. Maybe I can relay some of the stuff to you before Meltdown shows up again."

"Meltdown?"

"The uh… TJ," Lincoln sheepishly clarified. "That's what you called him. Or, so I thought."

"Oh," Leni remembered, "I see. I guess I should come up with a name myself, huh?"

"I can help with that too," Lincoln waved. "Let me get back to you."

"Thanks, Lincoln."

He left the room, and Leni sighed. She felt like she hadn't really stopped since she got her powers.

"I need a break." She sighed.

"Leni!" her mother called from downstairs. "Come help me get some groceries!"

_Figures._ A mom can smell desperate want for rest a mile away.

Lucy met her at the stairs.

"I'll help too." She volunteered.

The three of them- Rita, Leni, and Lucy- rode to the store in relative silence, right up until their mother started to lecture Leni.

"Honestly, Leni," Rita told her, "You should be taking on more responsibility. I know you have a job, but its not really safe to go into the city right now. You play with Lily, but you don't change her, you don't feed her. You don't help the little ones with getting dressed in the morning."

Leni rested her head against the cold window. She did take care of Lily. She just never told her Mom when she changed her. And she did try to feed her, its just when she put her into her booster seat, one of her parents is right there, food in hand. Of course, what she's really wondering is what Leni has done lately.

_What have you done since Lori left?_

_I'm trying my best!_ Leni wanted to shout. But she didn't. She just stared out the window.

Soon enough, they arrived to the super market. Leni hopped out of her seat and offered her hand to help Lucy down.

"Alright," Rita told them, not paying attention to Leni, again. "Let's make this quick."

Leni held Lucy's hand, and she didn't argue otherwise. They walked into the store, the mother and the older daughter grabbing a cart. A big family like them, they needed a lot of supplies.

Walking through the lot, as well as the store itself, was spooky. And not in the way Lucy might enjoy (probably). The whole property was vacant. Leni spotted a single cashier at the front of the store, mindlessly tapping on her phone. There wasn't a single customer aside from them.

"Where are all the people?" Lucy asked, surprising Leni with her forthcoming.

"They're probably at home, sweetie," Rita answered. It was the sort of answer that she was brushing past the "Why" of it. "Come on, let's pick out some cereal."

Leni followed them closely. Her head kept scanning the aisles up and down. Absolutely no one was here. It felt like they were intruding. They went through the store, picking out what they could. A lot of the shelves where empty.

It suddenly occurred to her why nobody would be shopping right now, everyone already has. They rushed here when the generator exploded, bought what they could grab in bulk, and are probably huddled in their homes. They're waiting for the world to end.

Leni looked to her Mom, who looked knowingly back at her. She already understood this. She must not have been able to make the trip earlier, worrying about her children first and foremost. Maybe she was counting on the fact that they would have restocked by now. That is not the case right now.

Leni started being a hero to help people. She wanted to inspire and reassure. She's been doing a lousy job of it. She needed to do better, if she didn't want that Marshal guy coming down here with his crazy restrictive laws.

Lucy gripped her hand.

"Hide." The girl barely breathed.

Leni then heard something behind them, at the store entrance. A group of loud girls walked in, they started harassing the cashier. Leni couldn't see them, but they sounded like trouble.

"Hide," Leni echoed, repeating the order to her mother.

"What? Why-?" Rita stopped when she heard the commotion. She obeyed, letting herself be pushed towards the racks of discount clothes that were nearby. They crouch stepped to the back of the department.

"What's happening?" Rita asked her daughter.

Leni listened out, knowing full well that her mother didn't have the kind of hearing she had. If she's careless, she'll find out her secret, but that's not what's on Leni's mind right now.

"Hellion Angels," Leni whispered. "That's what they're called. I think that's what they're called."

"Oh God… What do they want?" Rita asked.

Leni listened more. The cashier and the manager have locked themselves in the office. The Hellions have started roaming the store.

"I don't know. I think they're here to shop. Just, without the paying part."

"That's stealing," Lucy quietly corrected.

Leni risked peeking above the racks, and she spotted one of them skipping through the store. She was giggling.

"A whole store to ourselves!" the pig-tailed girl frolicked. "Pick of the litter! I'm going straight for the Reese's Puffs!"

"Focus, Cindy," a female, but more masculine figure reeled her in. "We need to pick the food, not pig it."

"Whatever!"

Leni looked at the group as they entered. The Hellion Angels looked like Hot Topic ravers. It was like they took three different outfits and split it between the three of them. The pig-tailed girl had white fuzzy boots, a fishnet top that showed a black bra underneath, and a purple backpack that was a cat's face.

The other girl had short black hair that bobbed around her jaw. She had white fuzzy bottoms, combat boots, a tank top with a cracked skull on it, and an oversized jacket that she kept her hands in the pockets of. She blew bubble gum and stared off into the distance.

The final girl was the scariest. She had a skirt, knee high socks tucked into sneakers, and a bright pink sleeping hoodie. The hood of it was pulled over her head, showing that it had stuffed wings, _and _a unicorn horn. Resting on her nose was a pair of square glasses. Aside from the fashion statement, she held an aluminum bat covered in stickers over her shoulder, and was over six feet tall. She was an imposing figure compared to the other two.

Between the three of them, they all had a hair flipped over their foreheads, colored pink. It was common enough trend that this particular gang decided to wear it as their badge. Their clothes were all faded, and had some mysterious stains on them. As much as Leni wanted to believe it, that was not dried ketchup on that girl's socks and bat.

"Get down!" Rita yanked her daughter back by her shoulder, whispering frantically. "Don't move!"

Leni obeyed. She tried to think. She didn't bring her suit with her, and even at her top speeds, it would take too long to go home and change. She was stuck in a dress, her favorite shades, and a pair of flops. Was there any way for Leni to fight these girls _and _keep her secret? She wasn't sure.

All the while, Lucy stared at her. She seemed to be able to read her thoughts.

"If we're quiet," she whispered. "We can sneak to that safe room. At the front of the store."

Leni blinked at her. She's right. The cashier and manager are on the phone with the police right now. The safest place for them right now is in that room with them.

"Okay," Leni decided, "We'll make our way there. We need to be quiet, okay?"

Lucy nodded. Their mother just looked horrified.

Leni looked around the corner. The Hellions are moving on. Leni turned back to her family and motioned them to stay quiet. Still squatting, she waddled her way over to another rack of clothes, keeping them between her and the intruders.

Her mother complained behind her. "Oh, my back. Oh, I'm not supposed to be crouching this long."

Lucy shushed her as Leni looked back at the Hellions.

They disappeared.

"Well, looky-looky, I found a cookie."

Leni gasped and stood straight up. She was nose to nose with the pigtailed girl, leaning over the racks.

"What's on sale, Candy?" the second girl showed up.

"Looks like a normie, Missy," Candy answered over her shoulder, sliding off the rack and walking around it. "With her Mama and her little…" She stared at Lucy. "spook?"

Lucy made a very rude gesture. Leni would have to ask where she learned that later.

"Ha!" Missy laughed. "Spook's got fire! Just like you, Gretta!"

"No fire like mine," Gretta- the giant with the bat- responded, sizing them up. "Got anything good?"

"Nah," Candy reported. "They're naked. Except… What's in the purse, mama?"

Rita didn't answer. She just pulled Lucy behind her and held out her bag. Missy snatched it and turned it upside down. Emptying the contents.

"Nothing good," she reported. "Where's your wallet?"

"I…" Rita stammered. "I thought it was in there… I must have left it at home…"

"Cheeky Liar," Candy screamed.

"She must be hiding it," Gretta suggested. "Grab her and search her."

Leni pushed the racks at Missy, crashing it at her feet, startling the thug long enough for the two of them to run.

"Go, go!" Leni shouted.

They ran past her, Rita shielding Lucy as they escaped. Leni stood in front of Candy as she lunged for them.

"What the hell?" the girl complained.

Leni took the opportunity, grabbing her by the scruff of her shirt and reeling her arm back. She socked her, aiming for the back of her head. She fell back, a tooth flying out of her mouth, and falling out of consciousness.

"Hey!" Missy yelled.

Leni ran, loosing her flip-flops and dropping her shades. She sped up to catch up to her mother and slowed down to match their pace. She looked back at the other two, and saw that Gretta was catching up to them faster than expected. She held her bat out at her side, ready to take the family's heads off.

Leni slowed to a stop.

"Keep running!" she heard her mother shout.

Leni watched the giant girl move in slow motion. She ducked as she swung her bat, countering with a swift punch to the gut. She let out an "Ooph" as the wind got knocked out of her.

"Stupid…" She heaved, holding her stomach. She raised the bat over her head with one hand, bringing it down. "Bit-"

Leni zipped around her, her hair whipping around her face as she used her super speed.

"What-?"

Leni didn't give her the chance to breathe. She hooked her arms under her shoulders, shooting herself and her passenger into the air. They rose about ten feet into the air and slammed back down into the tiles, with Leni twisting the two of them so she landed on top of the villain.

Gretta let out a groan underneath her foot. Leni huffed. That was… scary.

"What are you?"

Leni looked over to the last standing member of the group. Missy looked scared, as she stepped away, Leni drifted over to her.

She was angry. She was furious. These people were out for blood. And her family was almost the quarry they found. Leni wanted to drop her from the tallest building she could find. Let them leave a mess only one more time…

Instead, she drifted over her, towering over her head.

"_Everywhere_."

Missy cowered under her gaze. Leni liked to think that Luan heard her, somehow.

"Leave," Leni ordered.

The girl looked at Gretta one last time and skirted around her, running off towards the exit. Leni zipped over, collecting her sunglasses and footwear, and drifted over past Gretta.

She let her feet smack against the tiles as she ran to her mother and sister, both at the front desk and in the doorway of the office they had back there.

"Leni!" her mother shrieked when she arrived. "What happened!? Where did you go?!"

Leni pushed them into the crowded room with the workers. She tried to sound out of breath.

"The super…" she huffed. "That… flying girl… She came in and saved me. I got grabbed, but she saved me."

"Oh, thank God." Rita hugged her daughter. Leni looked down to Lucy, who was still breathing heavy from the running. She gave no commentary.

"Are those… cameras?" the nine year old suddenly asked.

Leni got bugged eyed and followed Lucy's gaze. Next to the safe, was a computer display with black and white cameras. The screen was split into four, each corner showing a different location within the property.

"Oh right!" the cashier realized. "I can finally get a glimpse of this hero girl! Can she actually fly?"

The cashier, her boss, and Rita all curiously leaned in over the screen. Lucy seemed to be all but screaming at Leni. Leni shrugged, not knowing what could be done.

This might be it. If she's caught, she's caught. She'll be grounded for the rest of her life, but hey; it was fun while it lasted.

"Where did you say it was?" the boss asked. "Over by intimates?"

"Um, yes," Rita said, "They chased us past the underwear."

Leni leaned over their shoulders, tempted to use her power just to get a better view. She saw enough of the screens to see. The first camera was focused on the beer aisle. The second camera focused on the entrance to the dressing rooms. The third was homed in on the main entrance. And the fourth camera…

Was broken. Gray static filled its corner of the screen.

Leni leaned against the wall, trying not to sigh in relief too loudly. She smiled as she looked up at the ceiling. She looked at Lucy, who was smirking back. What luck!

"I think I see her!" the employee announced. "That flicker on the screen! I think that's her coming in!"

Leni couldn't stop smiling. It was a harrowing experience. But it was a win.

She needed a win.


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm still blown away!" Lori gushed over the phone. "I mean… An honest to god superhero!"

"Yeah," Leni agreed. "It's pretty crazy."

"Have you seen her yet?"

Leni looked over to the vanity mirror across the room.

"Once," she answered, "Maybe twice."

"Really?" Lori was in awe. "That's so cool!"

"Who do you think she is?" Leni heard her say.

Leni hummed in thought.

"It's me," she wanted to say, "I'm the one who's fighting all these gangsters and supervillains! I'm trying to help people too! Aren't you proud of me?"

"She must be the luckiest girl in the whole world," Lori continued. "Being a superhero, flying all over the place… I mean, where do I sign, right?"

"Yeah…" Leni smiled.

"Leni?" Lori sounded concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Leni lied. "Just missing you."

"Oh! That reminds me," Lori then said. "Turns out, I might be coming back home after all."

"What?"

"Yeah," Lori said, "The school's kind of keeping an eye on the whole… situation you guys are in over there, since more than a couple of the students are neighbors."

"Wow…"

"Yeah, so if things get too bad, they'll send us home. Isn't that great?" Lori paused. "I mean, aside from the whole 'things going bad' bit. Jeez, maybe we'll all have to move."

Leni bristled. "It won't come to that!"

The two girls let the shock of silence pass for a few seconds. Leni shook it off.

"I mean," she tried to recover, "I just…"

"Leni," Lori spoke softly. "Is… is something bothering you?"

Leni slouched on her bed. Another day, another lie. "I'm just… I'm tired. I'm sorry, I wanted to talk to you, but I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately."

"Well go get some sleep," Lori ordered. "I can always talk to you later."

"Okay," Leni submitted. "Goodnight. Love you lots."

The two hung up and Leni threw her head back in exhaustion. She didn't… totally lie. It just wasn't the whole truth, either. She wasn't ready for Lori to leave to begin with, and now that she might have some idea of adjusting to this empty room, she says she might be coming back? And then there's that possibility of gong away somewhere just to keep her family safe…

Leni leaned forward, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms.

Too many changes. Too much. Too soon.

She needed something to drink.

She made her way downstairs. The Loud house was quiet for the time it was. Usually at this hour, the little ones were rebelling against bedtime (again), Lincoln was trying to make a deal with Mom about staying up later, and Luna would be trying to soothe Lily with an electric guitar lullaby.

Instead, everyone was crowded around and curled up in front of the TV. Heads were knocked back, drool was dripping in some cases, but all eyes were shut, and everyone lightly snored.

"Huh," Leni noted as she hit the bottom step. She shrugged and went into the kitchen. She needed a smoothie.

She goes into the kitchen, only to see her mother, holding Lily, sitting at the small table next to the pantry. The little plastic seat was too big for an adult like Rita, but there she sat, both of them asleep.

It was an adorable sight, that Leni would have absolutely gushed over, if it weren't for the fact that Lily was slipping out of her mother's arms.

"Whoa!"

Leni jumped forward, catching the baby just in time. She immediately set the infant to her shoulder and started bouncing her.

"It's okay, it's okay," she tried to soothe her. "I got you. I got… you?"

Leni realized that, as she patted the baby's back and bounced her to keep her from crying, she didn't move. She didn't even wake. For that matter, neither did Rita. The teen girl was befuddled. The baby just sighed, peacefully, and Rita is snoring like a lumber mill.

Leni reached over with her free hand and poked her mother. Then she shoved her. Then she wet the ends of her fingers and let the water droplets drip on her forehead. Then, failing that, she got a cup of water.

"I'm, like, so sorry about this," Leni apologized, before dumping the cold water on Rita's head.

Nothing. She didn't even shiver.

Leni's adrenaline was starting to spike, as panic started to overtake her. She looked around and called out the first name she could think of.

"Lincoln!" she cried. "Luna! Lisa! Anyone!"

"I'm up here," she heard a voice. Someone was still awake. And they were upstairs.

The teen hustled over to the stairs but paused in the living room. There was someone talking on the TV.

"_And the Owl said to the rabbit. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. For dreams are where reality is upended. Life is not for the weary soul. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Dream away, my little rabbits. Enter the forest of slumber. Enter the infinite reality of dreams. So commands… the Dream Queen."_

Leni slowed to a stop, as the adrenaline in her veins turned to ice. Her eyelids became heavy. She let out a loud and exhausted yawn.

"So… tired…" She feel herself collapsing.

She fell to her knees, before laying Lily down in front of her. She curled up next to the infant, using her hands as a pillow.

"Just… a little… nap…"

She closed her eyes and let her mind drift off to sleep, not knowing that hundreds of people were suffering the same fate.

It was impossible to say how much time had passed. She found herself waking to a mask, just inches above her face.

"Ah!" she yelled, weakly shoving the figure away from her.

"Leni!" the figure's muffled voice called to her. "Leni, it's me!"

Leni blinked as she pulled the helmet off her head. "It's me."

"Luan?" Leni blinked and rubbed her eyes. "What's… What's going on?"

"I don't know," she answered. "But I think you've slept on it enough to figure it out."

Leni looked at her, and she shrunk away from her gaze.

"Sorry," she apologized. She cleared her throat. "Anyway. I was working on my act in my room, and I heard you call up to me. You sounded scared. Then, I saw you curl up on the floor in front of the TV, and then _I _almost fell asleep on the stairs! I ran back up and grabbed Luna's noise cancellers, and Lisa's welding mask, just in case. I got Lily to her crib, and it was all I could do to get you up the stairs."

Leni noticed they were in Luna and Luan's room. Her side felt sore.

"Where's Lisa?" she said. "Where's…everyone?"

"Asleep on the couch," Luan answered. "It still took a while to wake you up. Um… Sorry about the…"

She pointed to her own face, indicating that Leni had something on hers. Leni felt the same spot and felt a noticeable sting.

"Ow," she noted. She shook her head to clear the fog. "What about the others? Can we get them up?"

"I tried turning off the TV when I came back to get you," Luan explained. "But it… I don't know how, but it was like I could start hearing her _through the headphones_. I could barely stand up straight when I was looking for the remote."

Leni felt a shiver through her spine. This… is going from bad to worse.

"I have to stop this," Leni stood up, rubbing some sore spots. "Ow. Legs asleep."

"Hehe." Luan chuckled. She then thought to get serious and coughed. "Sorry. Puns are how I cope."

Leni looked at her with sympathy. She could see it in her eyes. She's trying her best to keep it together.

"Luan, can you get Lisa up here too?" Leni suggested. "We need more help on this."

"Right," Luan pulled on the headphones and the helmet. "I'll be right back!"

Leni followed her out of her room and went to her own. Luan went downstairs, almost deliberately stomping her way down the stairs. She's making more noise, maybe just to keep herself energized.

Leni changed into her costume. She could hear the vibrations from the TV from under the floorboards. Her room is directly over the living room, and this house is less soundproof than an open field. She could feel her eyelids getting heavy again.

"No. No!" Leni slapped herself again. She finished getting dressed and stomped her way out of her room.

Luan met her in the hallway, with the sleeping toddler in hand. Leni pointed to the nursery, and Luan followed her in there.

Luan set Lisa down in her bed, while Leni shut the door behind them. The both of them sighed in unison, Luan removing her gear first.

"That puts some distance between us," Luan breathed. "What now?"

"Do what you can to wake her up," Leni instructed, "I'm going to fix this."

"How?"

"I don't know," Leni admitted. "But I have to try something."

"You got your earpiece?"

"Yeah."

"Good," Luan nodded. "I'll, uh, keep the jokes to a minimum."

Leni opened the window, letting the cold night air flow into the room, but hesitated. She had an idea.

"Actually," she said, "Maybe that'll help."

"What's that?"

"You remember that playlist you made a year ago?" Leni asked her sister. "The one you made for Luna?"

* * *

Leni soared through the sky. scanning the city from far above.

She spotted a lot of fires, and a lot of unconscious people. Because it was already getting late, a lot of families were home for the night, and a lot of bars were opening. Whatever is happening to put the whole city to sleep, it's not just playing over the television. It's being broadcast on radio too. Some people were driving to their destinations, but somehow managed to put their car in park before falling asleep.

Leni had been scrambling. With the past fifteen minutes, she's evacuated six apartments, and put out the fires that had been growing in them.

Unfortunately, it seems the police hadn't been able to escape this fate, as the superhero found more than a few cops completely passed out in their cars.

Fortunately, this also means that the thugs and gangsters that would normally taking advantage of the chaos, are also falling asleep.

And it's not just that, either. The hypnotist- the disembodied voice on all these electronic devices- isn't slowing down. If anything, she's getting _louder_. The same footage of her reading some demented bedtime story was playing on a loop, but the volume was definitely growing. Her voice was soothing, and it tingled Leni's temples, clouding her thoughts with every syllable.

So, how is she staying awake amidst all this?

Well, Leni would like to think that the act of flying everywhere with the chilly winds and adrenaline was doing the heavy lifting, they still needed something to drown out the sound of the villain's voice. So…

"_Hamsterdance to the rescue_!" Luan laughed over the earpiece.

"Luan," Leni begged, as the annoying tune started to play again in the background. "Please focus. I can't keep this up forever. We need to find the Dream Queen before we start losing people."

Luna tried to get her roommate to listen to the same music as her, trying to start a new hobby between the two. Instead, what ended up happening, was Luan made a playlist of twenty of the most annoying and meme worthy songs she could find. Then she flooded all of her sister's playlists with them, randomly sprinkling them like unpredictable time bombs. Finally, Luna just deleted all her playlists and made new ones; making sure she never left her phone in the same room as Luan ever again. Now Luan's prank of irritating and awfully sung pop songs are helping Leni save the day.

"_Right, right,"_ Luan refocused. She had to speak over the loud music. "_Uh… Let's see. Well, nothing's really coming up when I google Dream Queen. Except… Whoa_."

"What's happening?"

"_She just started, like, six or seven different streams_!" Luan told her. "_In different languages? Leni, she's trying to put the whole world to sleep_!"

"We need to find her," Leni decided. "Now!"

"_Okay, okay! Hold on!"_ Luan could be heard searching. Hamsterdance faded out, and was soon replaced by "Blue" from Eiffel 65. "_I found her name! She's… Midory Summers. Oh hey! I thought she looked familiar. She's a Youtuber that got big on reading bedtime stories. She'd been offered time slots on television, but it didn't bring in revenue like they wanted. She got cancelled. She had kicked up such a fuss over it, she's basically been blacklisted. This livestream is the only thing she's posted for the past two years_."

"That's so sad…" Leni lamented. "Wait. I can't feel sorry right now. Do you know where she is?"

"Hold on…" Luan searched. "_If she was hired by… Then she probably would have worked at… There's a station on River Way! That has to be where the broadcast is coming from! Get over there and tell her she's _cancelled_! She wants to take over the world? She can _dream_ on!"_

"Luan," Leni sighed as she flew to her new destination. "You're a nightmare."

* * *

Leni approached the building. No sign of any traps, or fires. It had been a long night already, and she was ready to go home.

When she entered the building, she could feel the power growing. That voice... it was dominating her senses. It was everything she could do not to collapse.

"Leni?" Luan said over the com. "Leni! Headphones, now!"

Leni reached for her belt. It wasn't set up neatly, but it was the quickest option, under the circumstances. Leni put Luna's noise cancelling headphones over her ears and plugged it into her Ipod. The track Luan had set up started playing. This one was playing "September" by Earth Wind and Fire.

Leni breathed. The clashing music in from the headphones _and_ the earpiece made it hard to think, but it also made it hard to sleep. She hurried, flying through the stairwell to one of the upper floors. She knew the method wouldn't last forever. She needed to end it quickly.

She was totally guessing when it came to what floor her target would be on, but she found it. She could hear her voice, even through the headphones. The same video loop playing through the television screens.

It's no use. She's not going to make it if these screens are still playing around her. She looked around, and spotted a fire axe hanging on the wall. She broke the glass and grabbed it, and continued to scream as she swung it at television screens. She did this six, maybe seven times.

She huffed as she finished. It was quiet, again, and she was much more awake than before.

"That's not very nice..."

Leni turned to the doorway to see a girl around her age. She wore a pink night gown, fuzzy slippers, and a stuffed bear under her arm. Her hair was a mess, like she just rolled out of bed. Her eyes were half lidded, and her voice was softly spoken.

"You're exhausting to be around," she complained. "_Go to sleep_."

Leni caught herself from falling over. She shook her head to snap him out of it.

"It's you," she followed her into the next room. "You're the Dream Queen. You're putting everyone to sleep."

"Yeah…"

She didn't elaborate; yawning instead. Leni followed her to a studio, with the cast of a late night show strewn about and snoring.

"Why are you doing this?" Leni asked her. "What could justify… all of this?"

The girl tilted her head, thinking it over.

"I just wanted to sleep."

"…_What?_" Luan sounded shocked.

"What?" Leni repeated.

"I want to sleep," the girl echoed. "There's nothing in this life for me… anymore. I'm just going to sleep… forever."

"Okay…" Leni looked around at the sleeping cast on stage. "What does that have to do with everyone else? Why put Royal City to sleep?"

"Because it won't let me… sleep…" She explained. "Had my shot at the… bigtime… I missed… I try to sleep in my bed… they wake me… I stand on the ledge of a building… they stop me… Nobody let's me rest… Nobody cares if I feel… _anything_. So I put them to sleep… Nobody will bother me… anymore…"

Leni shook her head. "Do you… Midory, do you even know how many people I had to save on my way here? How many fires there were? You put so many lives in danger… just to take a nap, at night?"

"Not a nap. Sleep. The eternal sleep. This is a kindness. Everyone is off to dreamland… for the rest of their lives…"

Leni's face contorted in anger. "You're… You're going to let everyone wither away and _die_, because you're depressed? Because you're so full of… of hatred, and despair?"

Leni drifted over to her. "I tried sleeping away my problems! Ever since my best friend moved away to college, I have never felt so alone in my life! But then I got these powers… this opportunity to help people. And you have the same power, and all you can think to do is sleep?!"

"_Leni_?" Luan reminded her she was watching.

The girl- the villain- didn't even blink.

"The world… can go… to hell…" the Dream Queen answered. "I'm going to sleep… _And so are you…_"

Leni dropped to the ground. The axe in her grip clattered to the ground and her palms slapped against the tiled floor. She kept her arms straight. She slammed her eyes wide open. It was taking every ounce of her willpower to stay awake. She couldn't form a thought. She could barely form a word.

"_Go_… _to… sleep…_"

Her voice never raised an octave. Her power… its her voice. It's all her voice.

"_Sleep… And dream pleasant dreams… So commands… the Dream Queen_."

Leni started to collapse. She could feel her consciousness fading. The music was fading. Everything was turning white…

"_Leni, you can't give in_!" Luan cheered her on. "_You need to wake up! Uh, um… Exercize! Drink a coffee! Get angry! Get…_

_"Get angry_…" she sounded like she was working something out.

"_Hey Leni!_" Luan suddenly yelled. "_You know I got offered a job at the mattress factory? I asked if I could sleep on it!_"

"Ugh…" Leni shook her head. "What…?"

"_Luna had a gig the other night, and passed out on stage_!" Luan said, "_I guess she rocked herself to sleep_!"

"Luan…" Leni groaned. She was sitting up on her knees. The Queen was starting to panic. She stood right over Leni's head.

"What are you doing?" her light voice having the faintest hint of irritation. "I told you… _to sleep!_"

"_I had the best dream in full color once. Too bad it was a pigment of my imagination!"_

"Stop… talking…" Leni complained. She got to one knee.

"_Go. To. Sleep_." Queenie demanded. "_Your Queen commands you_!"

"_C'mon, Leni! This chick has got nothing on you! I once watched as a pig put an entire audience to sleep_!" Luan gave her finale. "_I guess you could say he was quite the boar_!"

"Shut. Up!" Leni threw an uppercut that connected to Dream Queen's chin. She flew back, totally knocked off her feet. The villain flipped through the air, slamming on her belly and knocking herself out with a groan.

Leni felt her strength returning. She shook the last of fuzziness out of her head and looked around. She saw the staff and showmen stir from their slumber, slowly waking.

"_I notified some admins about taking the streams down_," Luan reported. "_Lisa and Lily are waking up. So, I guess that means the rest of the city is too. We did it!_"

Leni breathed a sigh of relief.

"All thanks to your jokes," she reported.

"_Yeah_," Luan agreed. "_It's a gift. And now no one can say otherwise_."

Leni chuckled. Now to deal with Summers. Nothing some duct tape and a note won't fix, before leaving her for the police.

After setting her up for the lawmen to find, Leni noticed the cameras facing the stage. Dream Queen had been using them for her broadcast. Their entire confrontation must have been captured by them.

She smiled and waved at the camera.

"Just another day," she told the feed. "In the life of your friendly neighborhood Sky Girl."

With that, she flew off. Out of sight, and into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

"So tell us what she said," Luna repeated. "Word for word, if you have to."

Luan shifted in her seat. "She said she tried to sleep away her problems. I just thought she was tired, maybe a little bummed out, but…"

"She's not in a good place," Luna summarized.

Luan shook her head.

"So the changes in her behavior aren't necessarily because of the explosion," Lisa thought out loud. "Or perhaps the radiation enflamed it."

"There's nothing wrong."

The three girls turned their heads to the lone boy in the room. His head was lowered, his back was leaned against the wall, and he had a sour look on his face.

"There's nothing wrong with her." he repeated.

The girls shared a look before returning it to their brother.

"Linc," Luna tried, "Dude… It's not like we're conspiring against her. We're worried about her. You saw what that radiation did to those criminals. How do we know it's not doing the same thing to her?"

"Because she's helping people!" Lincoln shouted, "She's doing good things! How is helping people a bad thing?!"

He took a breath, and when he looked at Luna he added, "Unlike you! All you've done is put her down!"

Luna put a hand on his shoulder, trying to find the right words, but Lisa changed the subject.

"It's not the action, it's the emotion behind it," she said. When the others looked at her quizzically, she explained further. "Well, that's the theory so far. Crusher is a bank robber, so perhaps his eagerness, greed, and pride afflicted his actions; while also providing the physical strength to act. Meltdown lost his mother and was perhaps working out his anger at the gym when he was hit. Dream Queen was depressed, and perhaps feeling more nihilistic than usual. And Leni…"

The room fell silent.

"What _was_ Leni doing, exactly?" Luan wondered.

* * *

"O-M-G! Can you believe we have an actual superhero?!"

"I still feel like I'm dreaming!"

"Eh, I give it a week before she goes crazy like the rest of them."

These comments and more filled the air of the mall as Leni folded the clothes. People are out and about again, and Leni was called into work to help with the rush. She was happy to help; after weeks of stress and punching people, the monotonous act of folding clothes, or answering questions about size, or just giving off a fashion related opinion, was therapeutic to her. The only difference between this and shopping was where the money was going.

"What do you think, Leni?" one of her coworkers, Fiona, called over to her.

"Hmm?" Leni answered, folding clothes and off in her own little world.

"The superhero," Fiona reiterated. "Sky Girl!"

"Oh, uh…"

Leni thought back to her conversation with Lincoln: about how to keep a secret identity… _secret_. One of the methods is to be a little harsh on your secret identity. "Offer something you think you could do better," Lincoln had told her. "No superhero is their own biggest fan."

"She could do better," Leni answered.

Fiona blinked. "Wow, really?"

"Yeah," Leni set down the sweater she just finished. "I mean, she's so violent, and mean. I don't think she should be punching people so much."

"Leni," Miguel reasoned. "They're criminals."

"Still…" Leni lamented. Her friends shrugged.

Before Leni could break her wrist by patting herself on the back too hard, a scream cut through the air. All heads snapped to the malls main hall. Something fired itself to the ceiling- some kind of rope- pulling a figure from the ground level through the air. People gasped. Leni gasped.

"Was that…?" Miguel wondered.

"I… think so…" Fiona agreed.

Everyone started to shuffle out of the store. Leni was in just as much awe as the rest of them. It couldn't have been…

She ran to the break room, where her bag is: which contained her phone, and a particular change of clothes.

"Leni?" Fiona called. "Where are you going?"

"I'm getting my phone!" she called back. "I need to get a picture!"

It was an excellent excuse, and it gave everyone else in earshot the idea to try and get their own pictures. Leni retreated to the other room. She was able to change into her costume in record time, and flew out above everyone else's heads. People shouted and cheered, flattering the girl. She gave a shy wave with a smile, and resumed her focus on the task at hand.

There, on the ceiling, and exiting through the skylight, was a wallcrawling teenager, wearing a Spiderman costume.

He was also carrying a bag, and the sirens below are screaming that they've been robbed. Maybe Spiderman would know something about that.

She flew up through the skylight, following the fleeing teenager across the rooftop.

"Hey!" she called out. "I hope you have a good explanation for having that bag of jewelry!"

The guy turned around and stopped, staring at her. It was a shoddy costume, straight out of a Halloween shop. The hands and feet were bare, and the mask didn't even connect to the rest of the suit. There was a shoelace string tied across his shoulders.

Whoever this guy was, a skilled tailor he was not.

"You're breaking a lot of hearts today, you know that?" Leni hand her hands on her hips. "Particularly Tom Holland fans."

Spiderman flopped his hands at his sides, giving a "sorry-not-sorry" shrug.

"Superheroes gotta eat," he argued. "You know how it is."

Leni drifted down and walked towards the boy with her guard up.

"Drop the bag," she ordered, "And surrender. I'll make sure you're treated fairly."

"Treated Fairly?" The imposter Spiderman mused. He dropped the bag and held his hands up. "_Te equivocaste hermosa_. You got it all wrong, beautiful. Cops don't treat _anyone_ fairly. You're either feared, or your nothing."

"We'll have to agree to disagree," Leni answered as she approached him.

She grabbed his wrist, and was ready to take him to the police, but he grabbed her wrist in response, flipping her over his shoulder and slamming her to the ground. Leni looked up, dazed, as the costume stood over her.

"Agree to disagree," he echoed. There was something over his shoulder, and it was pointing down at her.

Leni rolled away and dashed forward. She kept a few feet of distance between the two of them and regained her bearings.

Spiderman had gained a couple of extra limbs. Two spikes were hovering above his shoulders, attached to long stalks with multiple joints that sprouted from his back.

"It's a nice trick," the ever-deforming Spiderman casually mentioned. "But it's not as good as what I can do."

He pulled off his mask and tore the costume to ribbons. He was wearing a white undershirt and some brown cargo shorts, but that was the last thing Leni noticed. He was covered in black hair, head to feet. His feet had two prongs, instead of toes, and the tips of his fingers had claws at the ends of them. His face had two set of beady red eyes, and a pair of fangs that flashed every time he grinned. The spiked appendages had doubled, providing four massive spider legs.

Leni wanted to cry. She wanted to curl up and die. Some other superhero can come along and handle this. Why did it have to be her?!

"We met before," the Spider-monstrosity told her. "You were having a… _En equipo_… A Team-up. Avengers, and all that. I was the one who got away.

"Now I got this power," he clenched his own hands. "The biggest freaking high I've ever had! I'm doing more than just surviving, I'm thriving now! Not just a spider anymore…

"I'm the wolf!" he declared. "Or, better yet… the Wolf-Spider!"

Leni whimpered, curling up in mid air.

"And once I kill you," he pointed at her, "I'll get enough cred to run this town!"

"No." Leni shook her head, floating backwards. "No, no, no, no!"

She turned and flew away. Tears were in her eyes.

She couldn't handle this. She didn't want to do this anymore. Somebody else can be the superhero and she can go home and crawl under her blankets!

She flew through the city, just trying to get away from the villain, but the more she ran, the more thoughts ran through her head. She slowed to a stop, floating over an intersection with her head bowed in deep thought. Could she really do this? Could she really be so… cowardly? She hated spiders, yes, but that guy isn't _just_ a spider, that's a person! She can't just leave a criminal to run wild.

She pulled out her phone (suddenly thankful that she thought to add a "utility belt" to her costume) and called her brother.

"Lincoln?" she prompted when the phone picked up. "It's me."

"Leni?" Lincoln wondered. "What's wrong?"

Words started to flow out of her mouth. Her brain on full panic mode.

"Okay so I thought I was catching a Spiderman thief but he wasn't a Spiderman thief and I followed him and I thought it'd be easy or cool that Spiderman would exist because Tom Holland is cute but he's not Tom Holland he's a criminal that just got hairy spider legs and creepy beady eyes and he's covered in hair! And-"

"Leni," Lincoln called, "Leni! Breathe!"

Leni exhaled a big puff of air. She started breathing back in, just on the edge of hyperventilating. She swears the flags swayed on their poles because of her.

"You said it was a spider-guy, right?"

"Yeah…" Leni drooped. "I'm sorry, Lincoln. I ran. I just… I freaked out."

"It's okay, Leni," Lincoln assured her. "I'm going to hang up on the phone, okay? I'm contacting you on the earpiece."

"Okay." She hung up and put her phone away. There was a sudden chill up her spine, and she turned to see the shadow of a pursuer she didn't realize was stalking her.

"Gotcha!"

Leni was tackled downwards, the two bodies spinning and landing on the sidewalk with a hard thud.

"No escape," Wolf-Spider stood over her. The people around them were staring in horror. "You're mine, now."

"No!"

Leni kicked off the ground, shooting herself forty feet into the air. She looked back down and saw the Spider leaping up after her. She dove out of the way, letting Spider land on the side of the building next to her.

"Can't run forever," the villain promised. "I'm the Spider, and you're the fly."

"_Yeesh. Original, _and _disgusting,_" Luan commented. "_Stay away from him, Leni!_"

Spider made another lunge at the girl, leaping off the building to get at her. Leni dodged him again, and watched him land on the four legs sticking out of his back.

"_Leni. Run_," Luna ordered.

Leni dashed away, flying down the street, but keeping an eye on Wolf-Spider as she fled. Spider, using his new agility, skittered after her. He climbed up the wall with ease and followed her.

"_He's… not using webs_," Lincoln noted in Leni's ear. "_He's not swinging around_."

"_That's good_," Luna added. "_He can't grab her that way_."

"_Maybe now would probably be time to call an exterminator_," Lola noted in the background.

"_Or maybe just get a flamethrower_," Lynn helpfully added.

"_Guys_," Lincoln called. "_Focus_."

Leni watched as the villain climbed the walls next to her, rising above her, and lunging at her.

"Kill you!"

Leni screamed. A flash of red heat streaked between the two of them, smacking the villain away.

"Bullseye!" a voice from above called.

Leni looked up to see her ex-friend, standing on the ledge of a building.

"TJ," Leni recognized.

"_Oh boy_," Lola sighed. "_Here comes the drama_."

Leni looked at the villain, now splayed out on the dented roof of a car. His chest had a scorch mark across it, and he groaned in pain.

She decided to go see the teen who saved her. He had been wandering about, unchecked, for a couple of weeks now. They're long overdue for a talk.

"Meltdown," She crossed her arms.

"What?" He tilted his head.

"Meltdown," she repeated. She started to feel ever more self-conscious as she explained herself. "That's your… super… villain… name…"

The two stared at each other for a minute, before yet another voice pierced the air, cackling with laughter.

"Pffft-Hahaha!" the girl approached them, holding her sides. "That's right on the money! She's got you pegged, dude!"

The girl had her own little style to her. She had a cute little leather jacket, a black skirt, a pair of black boots, and aviators. Her T-shirt was white with a cracked pink skull on it. Her hair was flipped off to the side, with a slice of it dyed purple. Her hands were completely covered up to her elbows in some kind of black and purple substance. It looked like oil.

She put her hands on her hips, with a wild grin on her face.

"You're Meltdown now," she declared. "Deal with it."

"Don't I get say in this?" the pyro asked. "We agreed my name would be-"

"Nope!" she interrupted. "Meltdown."

TJ glowered at his partner for a moment but just shook his head.

"I heard you got a name now," TJ crossed his arms. "Sky Girl, right?"

"_Be on your guard, girl_." Luna advised.

"Yes." Leni answered, giving nothing else away.

"Well," TJ continued, "This is my new buddy, Ink. We've been working together."

"That's nice," Leni tried not to fume. "Thank you for your help. And thank you for not killing anybody today. But I need to go take in Spider now."

"Whoa, whoa, hey," TJ waved her back. "Hold up a sec. I wasn't just in the neighborhood, you know. We've been looking for this guy."

"You have?" Leni wondered.

"_Uh-oh_." Lincoln muttered.

"Word's been getting around," TJ explained. "This guy has a stash of superpowers for sale."

"_I'm sorry, what?_" Lynn exploded. "_Where is it!?_"

Leni held a hand to her ear in an attempt to silence her sister. A lot of muffled talk could be heard over on the other end of it, trying to subdue Lynn.

"_Seriously though_," Lola commented. "_Where is this deal happening?_"

"You okay there?" Ink wondered.

"She's got a setup talking in her ear," TJ explained. "I'm going to say… other kids? Friends? No, siblings. Maybe excited about getting superpowers of their own?"

Ink cocked an eyebrow, and Leni felt herself cringe. Can she have _any_ secrets? Just one? Is that too much to ask?

"Huh," Ink only said, "Well, when her team pulls it together, we can grab Spider down there and have him get us the goods."

"We're fine." Leni cringed again. "I mean, I'm fine."

"We'll meet you on the street, Fly Girl," TJ turned away with a smirk.

"_Doesn't he mean Sky Girl_?" Lola wondered.

"_No, he doesn't_." Lincoln confirmed.

Leni didn't bother to correct them.

"_Leni_," Lincoln assisted, "_Lisa mentioned she put some experimental zip-ties in your belt. They should be harder to break than the usual brand_."

Leni fetched into her pouch and found the ties in question. She went over to Spider and flipped him over and off the car.

With a shiver, she positioned the hairy extra (and extra hairy) legs down on his back, pinning his arms over them and tying them together. When she was done, and he was secure, she did an involuntary and squeamish dance in place. She flapped her hands in front of her, gave a girlish squeal, and stamped her feet in her disgust.

Spiders. Why, oh why, did it have to be a spider?

"Should we have helped?"

Leni looked over to Meltdown and Ink, who had appeared next to her on the sidewalk somehow.

"Oh no," Ink answered her partner. "I'm enjoying this _far_ too much."

"Anyway," Meltdown moved the conversation along. "We never got you answer. This guy is selling some bad stuff. I know you've seen what these powers can do in the wrong hands. Dream Queen will look like a puppy by comparison."

Leni looked back at Spider, who was slowly gaining consciousness.

"_Leni_," she heard her brother in her ear. "_I don't think he's lying, but it's up to you. We're behind you, every step of the way_."

Leni nodded. "Okay."

She turned to the two vigilantes. "I'm here to help. But only if we give Spider, and whatever he's selling, to the police."

Meltdown shrugged. "Deal."

Leni nodded. "Okay. How do we find his… stash?"

"We ask him," Ink answered. "Nicely."

Meltdown went over and picked up Spider by his arms, handling him like a cop escorting someone through a police department.

"Get the door, would'ya partner?"

"Gladly."

Ink walked over to a brick wall, and with a flick of her hands, started grazing her fingers over it. Everywhere she touched, she left a black mark, like paintbrushes. The marking grew and pulsed like if a sharpie had a heartbeat. When she was done, there was a black arch painted onto the side of the wall, with a diamond shape floating in the middle of it.

With a snap of her fingers, the archway covered its inside with its own ink, a swirling vortex overtaking the picture within. Leni felt uneasy, just looking at it.

"Ink opens portals," Meltdown helpfully explained. "It's pretty handy."

Without another word, he shoved Spider through the opening, and followed him inside. Ink waited by the entrance.

"Ladies first," she bowed with a wave of her hand. Leni got the sense she was being mocked.

Leni looked around and noticed the growing crowd of people staring at her. She agreed to this, but maybe that was a mistake.

She rolled her shoulders back, trying to stand taller, and strode through the doorway.

The trip was weird, like walking through a doorway in a dark room, only to be greeted with sunlight again when she fully breached to the other side.

"_Whoa. That's kind of barfy_." Lola commented.

"_Don't let it _spiral_ out of control now_!" Luan added. "_But seriously, be careful_."

She was standing on a rooftop now, across the street to a line of warehouses. They were on the other side of town.

When she stepped through, Meltdown was already starting his interrogation, leaning Spider over the edge. He was threatening to push him off?!

"Might as well tell us, _hermano_," Meltdown said to him. "The only way your getting down there is by jumping or talking."

Spider looked down, and looked up and around in front of him. He seemed to be in a state od disbelief.

"Eres estúpido o algo?" he sounded surprised. "What are you, stupid? We're here!"

"Oh," TJ noted. He turned to his partner, standing beside Leni. "See? I told you I narrowed it down to this street!"

Ink rolled her eyes and gave a disgusted sigh.

"Now you're going to show us which unit," Meltdown yanked him back.

They walked back to Ink's portal, now standing on the street down below and making their way to one of the warehouses.

"…S'here." Spider muttered, walking them over to one of them.

They walked inside, seeing it largely abandoned with crates of some bankrupt toy company strewn about and forgotten. Spider led them to a back office.

"The gangster has an office," Ink noted.

"The safe is stuck to the concrete wall," Spider explained. "You need a wrecking crew to get it out, and nobody's cared about this hood in a long time. Makes it the perfect warehouse for business."

"Yeah, yeah," Meltdown shoved him. What's the code, Long-legs?"

Spider gave a short, abrupt, and rude answer.

Meltdown glared at him. "Fine," he said, "If you want something done right…"

He over to the safe and, without even bothering with the lock, he reached over and put his hand through the locking mechanism. The metal instantly turned orange and fell over like heavy clay. He dug into the door, until there was nothing left of it. As the metal cooled down, he reached inside and pulled out two glowing crystals.

Leni could tell they were the real deal, as just looking at them felt like seeing gold. Not that she's ever seen gold in person. Of course, maybe gold didn't add a vibrating hum in your ears as you looked at it. The two crystalline rods looked ethereal. Looking at them, Leni relived the moment she got hit. Honestly, it kind of scared her a little bit.

"Well alright," TJ smirked. "That wasn't even five minutes. Way to go team."

"Only two, though..." Ink noted.

"Well, two's enough," TJ corrected. "Two too many, and now: two less."

Leni blinked, and refocused on the young man before her.

"Remember the deal," Leni reminded him.

"I remember," Meltdown nodded. "But, I have a counteroffer for you."

"_Shhhoot_." Lincoln almost swore in her ear.

"You see," he said, "Like I said, some bad people are running around with superpowers. Can't do anything about that. We're all doing are best, picking up the slackers and loud ones... But we can't be everywhere at once, right? It's the one superpower I haven't seen yet."

"_I don't like where this is going..._" Luan commented.

"What are you getting at, exactly?" Leni asked.

"I want us to work together," TJ said. "Like before. We meet up, we work together, we keep other bad people like Spider here from teaming up."

Spider here made a disgusted sound.

"Tch." He shook his head. "Don't sound any different from me. Don't be fooled, _chica_. He's not saying it directly, but he's starting a gang. Just beat me to it."

"Look," TJ interrupted, "I'll even sweeten the deal for you."

He offered one of the crystal rods, leaving it outstretched in his hand.

"One superpower," he told her, "For anyone of your choosing. Just break it over your knee and… _presto_!"

"_Whoa_." Leni couldn't tell which one of her family said that, but it sent a shiver down her spine.

She could give one them a superpower? Just like her? Or…

Just like them.

"No." Leni answered. "That doesn't make this- _any_ of this- right!"

"Oh, come on now," Ink complained. "It'd be nice to have another girl on the team. It's a total dude fest so far!"

"Dude fest?" Leni blinked. "Team?"

"Well," Meltdown sighed, "No use in lying about the surprise.

"We've got a growing club, here," he continued, "And we'd love for you to be a part of it."

Some rumbling erupted outside of the tiny office. Leni spun around and threw the door open; seeing three other people had shown up.

"Sky Girl," TJ stepped out with her. "Meet the team. Springlocke, Mole-Man, and Nox."

Springlocke was a red head with a wide and toothy grin. He wore overalls and a white t-shirt, and was missing a tooth. He was a lanky fellow, but his legs seemed longer than what they should have been. From his knees to his ankles, there was a metal coil wrapped around his shins, each end merging with the skin. He bounced from one bare foot to the next, like he just got done running but still had energy to spare.

Mole-Man was halfway out of a hole in the ground. He had goggles, and a long nose. He rested on his elbows, and has long curved claws replacing his fingers. His clothes were covered in dirt and stains, making it impossible to tell what he was wearing exactly.

Nox was the worst looking one. He had all black clothes; jeans, combat boots, shirt, and a leather jacket with a chain hanging off of it. His shaggy hair covered his eyes, but enough of his face showed that he was pale, and sickly. His cheeks had a green hue, and he was breathing through his open mouth. Green puffs of air appeared and dissipated as he exhaled. Leni got a queasy feeling just looking at them.

Leni looked from the three of them, to the three in the room behind her.

"We could do a lot of good together," TJ said again. "But none of us are fliers. Or people persons, now that I'm thinking about it. Your… friendly and caring demeanor could be what we need to get some people on our side."

Leni just stared at him. Her fist clenched in frustration as her eyebrows knit together. Can't he see what he's doing?! Why can't he just…

"Here," he tried handing her one of the crystal rods again. "Just take one. Think it over."

Leni blinked away some tears and gave an ugly sniff. After wiping the frustration and sorrow from her face, she shouldered past them, picking up Spider by his arms, and flying back out.

"The next time we meet," She promised before flying out, "I'm taking you to the police. You need help."

She looked to the rest of them. "You all need help."

She flew out the door and back over the city, the criminal in her grip staying quiet. She dropped him off on the stairs of the police department, with a knock on the door. She was gone before anyone knew she was there.

She took her time flying home. She had plenty to think about.

* * *

**_Sorry if the Spanish isn't correct, I use Google Translate_**.


	9. Chapter 9

Leni sat on her bed, still in costume, rubbing her eyes after removing her mask. The crowd in front of her was silent.

They had let themselves in when she got back, standing in front of her and awaiting the news. She barely had enough time to make a call to her workplace, making up some excuse about having to go home.

_Which one of us gets superpowers?_ She could hear the question her siblings silently posed.

She couldn't bring herself to look at them.

"Uh," one of them said, "Leni…"

"Guys," she interrupted, finally setting her hands down to face them. "I can't. I mean… I know getting superpowers sounds cool and all but… I can't take that deal. I mean… I don't know what will happen to you guys if I do, and…"

Lynn stepped forward.

"Actually," she said, taking her hand. "What I was going to say, was that I'm sorry. I got excited and… I didn't think about what would happen. I didn't mean to stress you out like that. I'm one of the older kids, I should have been more… well, responsible. I'm sorry."

Leni looked at her. Lynn was not one for emotional vulnerability. She swallowed her pride to say this to her.

The elder girl reached out to her, and pulled her in for a hug.

"Thank you," was all Leni could bare to say.

When Lynn stepped away, Leni looked to the others. She wiped her eyes and stood up.

"No one gets superpowers," Leni told the room.

"Unless we already have them," Luan joked.

"Dang it," Lola muttered. She pouted her way out of the room, followed by the others.

A few lingered behind them. Lincoln, Luan, Lisa, and Luna. Luna patted her roommate and brother to usher them out of the room, and they reluctantly obeyed.

"Hey," Luna greeted as they got some privacy.

"Hey," Leni greeted back.

"I wanted to apologize too," Luna explained. "I just… I'm trying to keep everyone…"

"I know," Leni put a hand on her shoulder. "I was listening."

Luna furrowed her brow, so Leni explained further.

"You had a talk with Mom and Dad, and Lori," she told her, "A while ago. I overheard."

As Luna tried to piece together what Leni was saying, Leni ushered her out.

"Leni," Luna wondered. "What are you-?"

"If you don't mind," She interrupted, "I need to be alone. Right after I speak with Lisa."

Luna, seemingly stunned to silence, was escorted out of the room. Leaving the eldest child in the house with the second youngest.

"How can I help you this time?" Lisa watched her critically.

"Have you figured out how my powers work?" Leni asked her.

"Scientifically speaking…" She sighed. "the art of sorcery makes more sense. I'm afraid I don't have anything new to share."

"Is there any way to, like… take them away?"

"…How do you mean?"

"Like," Leni fought for the words in her head. "These villains are a problem because they keep using their powers for bad stuff, right? So I thought, if there was a way to take them away, then they wouldn't be able to hurt anybody."

"Are you talking about a cure?" Lisa wondered.

"Well, I mean," Leni tried to explain. "I'm not really that smart, but I know coming up for a cure will take... a while. I was thinking about how one of TJ's new gang looked like this one boy I knew in school last year. He, like, had some ADHD and behavioral problems. He got kicked out after a little while, which was kind of a shame. He was kind of cute, like, in a roguish kind of way-"

"Leni," Lisa interrupted. "Focus."

"Right," Leni blinked, hard, before resuming. "He kept forgetting to take his medicine. But when he was on it, he was fine. So… is there a way to make that kind of pill for super-people?"

Lisa held her chin and looked down in concentration. She took her time answering.

"…Not a pill, per se," she answered. "but you _do_ constantly generate an unusual type of radiation. In theory, if we suppressed the radiation…"

She muttered some other things that Leni couldn't follow. Then, after a moment, the five-year-old snapped her head to the older girl.

"I need more data," she decided.

"Okay," Leni agreed. "Just tell me what test you want me to-"

"Not from you," Lisa dismissed. "I need to see the numbers they were crunching that day. I need to see what they were trying to do."

"They…?"

"I need the data from the reactor before it exploded."

* * *

Leni drifted over to the site. Seeing it was… she didn't know how to explain it. It was haunting. It was fascinating. It was alien to her. And yet, it was the reason she can do the things she's doing now.

Lisa cleared her throat.

"We can set down whenever you're ready," she shivered in Leni's arms. "By all means, take your time."

Leni smiled down at her. Holding her tight, she drifted down to the forgotten base.

She had forgotten the official name of it, but the media and public had dubbed it Fort Hard Knocks. Leni once heard Luan call Fort Knox 2: Electric Boogaloo. She didn't get the reference. It was located north of the city, closer to the Canadian border, and in the middle of a forest. Much the roofing of the place had been blacked and scorched. A part of the roof had collapsed in on the inside of the structure, exposing whatever technology inside to the elements. As hard as she tried, Leni couldn't hear anybody inside.

They touched down at what must have been the front entrance. There were no guards, and no one was sitting at the reception desk inside. No activity could be heard, apart from the birds and animals living their lives out in the woods beyond the perimeter fence. This whole place felt like a haunted mansion, except even worse, somehow.

"So, tell me about this place?" Leni asked her sister, hesitant to set her down. "Maybe with smaller words?"

"This facility was constructed to house a machine that could- Would you put me down?!" She kicked the air under her sister's grip. "Thank you. This military base was built to safeguard new scientific secrets for the military. The Generator they were testing was highly experimental, and was rumored (among the scientific community) to have enough power to dwarf the hadron collider currently stationed in Europe."

Leni's head started to tilt to the side. Lisa sighed.

"They were trying to unlock unlimited power," she summarized. "Effectively eliminating many crises with what would use to be an impossible solution. Then it exploded, and we have this."

Leni looked to the building. Lisa was pulling out some flashlights and some kind of measuring machine out of the supplies she packed with her.

"Here," she gave the teen a flashlight. In her other hand, she held a thumb drive. "The sooner I can get to a computer, the sooner I can get the answers I need for our little project."

Leni smiled. She thought about her sister as they approached the front entrance.

"We don't really hang out that much, do we?" Leni thought out loud.

Lisa, taken aback, answered, "Ah... I suppose."

"You picked on me for a while," Leni recounted, "Using me for your little experiments."

"I, um..." Lisa seemed to be looking for a change in subject. "Let's not ruminate on past mistakes. That was an entire year ago. Let's find the entrance."

"I'm not mad, Lis," Leni tried to reassure her, "You may be a genius, but your still a baby."

"Please," Lisa found the resolve to correct her, "I qualify as _toddler, _thank you very much."

Leni laughed, and Lisa held an amused smile on her face.

They entered the building, their beams of light sweeping across the room. Lisa's light made a slow sweep, looking for smaller details. Leni's was a little more frantic, looking for more immediate threats like spiders.

"Hello...?" Leni called out into the empty room. "Anybody here...?"

"Sister, please." Lisa pleaded. "A little tactical sense would go a long way."

"What if someone's hurt?" Leni wondered. "What if they need help?"

Lisa silently walked into the lobby. She clearly had an answer for her, but didn't say it. She walked past the desk to investigate a hallway.

"Surely there's a directory somewhere..." she muttered.

"Hey!" Leni realized, "I found a computer!"

Lisa turned and saw her costumed sibling smiling from behind the receptionist desk. She went over to investigate, and sighed.

"Leni, the power is cut," she explained. "And these computers wouldn't have the work I'm looking for anyways. We have to go deeper into the complex."

"Oh," Leni's demeanor drooped. "Sorry, I just thought..."

"It is forgiven," Lisa waved it off. "Now, the first thing we need to do is restore the power. Then we can go wandering about."

"How do you know so much about this place?" Leni asked the toddler. They walked down the hallway, looking for a maintenance hall for a fuse box.

"I was consulted on it," Lisa answered. "A government representative approached me, asked me to crunch some numbers, and paid me a rather large sum of money once the task was completed. He let it slip that the numbers involved were for a nearby secret facility. So far, this is the only secret facility I can find."

"A large sum of money?" Leni wondered.

"I forwarded it as a part of your collective college tuition," Lisa added.

"Oh," Leni blinked. "Well, thanks."

They continued onward, finding a back hallway that wasn't carpeted, and a fuse box hanging on the wall. Lisa immediately set to work, having Leni hold her up to the box with one arm while holding the flashlight with the other.

"Just a moment here, and..." The lights flickered on with a series of whirring thuds. "Eureka!"

As the lights came on, Lisa started to head back.

"We can use the computers in the lobby to find where the data is being kept," Lisa explained. "Hopefully, we can see what occurred after the generator detonated."

"Okie-doke!" Leni agreed.

As they made their way back, Leni hesitated. She kept hearing a noise that was hard to identify.

"Is something troubling you, sister?" Lisa prompted.

"I keep hearing this buzzing sound," she complained. "Like a really angry bee is buzzing all over the place."

"…That could easily be a systems failure," Lisa dismissed. "There _was_ a major accident not long ago, after all. Honestly, we'll be lucky if the only thing functioning maliciously are a few faulty lights."

"Okay…" Leni still looked over her shoulder. That buzzing was still bothering her. Was it supposed to be… moving around like that?

Lisa sat at the computer and typed away at it.

"Hacking isn't really my forte," Lisa confessed. "But even so, I think I should be able to…"

The computer thrummed to life with a logo.

"Ah," Lisa sighed, content with her own intellect. "Child's play."

She tapped away at the computer screen, her little fingers moving much faster than Leni would initially believe.

"It seems the data we're looking for…" She soon surmised. "Is located in observation lab 1, section B."

She spun in her chair, hopping back down and strutting away with her chin held up high.

"I can take us there now," she declared. "On some days, it just feels good to… What is that sound?"

Leni paused with her, listening. The buzzing was almost thunderous, now. It crackled in the air, and it seemed to be whispering half spoken words to itself.

"The angry bee." Leni answered. She could smell something burning. She could smell heat, and ozone, and it was coming from the fuse box they flipped on in that maintenance tunnel.

Leni scooped up Lisa and held her in her arms, her feet left the ground as she soared through the air, flying in the opposite direction of that menacing sound.

"What is that?!" Lisa cried out. The five-year-old had one of her rare bouts of emotional fits. It usually took a lot to get her to be this emotional.

"I don't know," Leni answered, "But I think its behind us!"

She flew through the halls, flying ever deeper into the complex. As the lobby faded away, it was replaced by service pipes and paved walkways. The halls were extremely wide, serving as lanes for indoor loading cars. Some of them were flipped over.

As Leni flew through this indoor roadway, she dared to look over her shoulder. Their pursuer was now in view, and it befuddled her.

The creature had no sense of shape, forming as a ball of light and electricity, with occasional limbs forcing their way out to latch onto the floor to thrust itself forward. No matter what side of it Leni faced, some lines of electricity formed at least two or three human looking faces. The faces didn't have much detail, other than two eyes and a mouth; consistently opening for a scream or a moan of haunting pain.

The thing was a monster, through and through.

And yet…

Leni flew harder, faster, doing everything in her power not to get caught by that thing.

She took a hard right, spotting a red metal door, throwing it open and slamming it shut behind her. She immediately flew up, floating over some pipes in a smaller, more personalized maintenance hallway. She watched, with one hand covering Lisa's mouth, as the monster smashed the door open, pouring itself into the cramped space like a flood of lightning, and surging down the hall where the girls supposedly flew off to.

When the buzzing faded enough in her ears, Leni let go of Lisa's mouth. And allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief.

Her heart was pounding. She had worked completely on instinct, not even thinking about anything other than saving her baby sister.

Lisa heaved next to her. Her eyes were wide, her breathing was labored. Leni lowered themselves down to the ground level.

"No!" She panicked. "Don't! It'll find us!"

Leni shushed her and held her over her shoulder. She patted her back and held her tight.

"It's okay… It's okay…" She told the younger girl. "I got you. It's gone. I've got super hearing, remember?"

Lisa gripped the girl's costume and her nails dug into her shoulder. Her breathing hitched and she sobbed into the teen's shoulder.

"Shhhh…" Leni cooed. She continued to reassure her. "That was scary, huh?"

Lisa nodded into her shoulder.

"It's okay," she told her. "I'll take you home. I can do this some other time."

Leni carefully drifted back out the way they came. She looked down both ways and floated through the hallway.

"…" Lisa shifted in her grip. "Wait."

Leni paused. The young girl started to speak but was shushed by Leni. She looked around and spotted a different door leading to a different room. The wooden frame and glass paneling told her it was supposed to be an office. She flittered over to it, her feet not once touching the floor. She cracked open the door, entering the room slowly; fully prepared to slam the door and make a run for it if anything seemed dangerous. Nothing stuck out. Just a wide room with a lot of cubicles and abandoned computers.

Leni went to one of the cubicles and crawled under the desk.

"Okay," she said to the toddler. "What's wrong?"

"We can't abandon this mission," Lisa informed her. "I have no way of knowing if these systems will be scrubbed clean a week from now. I need the data stored here if we're going to…"

She shuddered.

"If we're going to save the city," she finished. The poor thing was shaking.

"Lisa…" Leni argued. "We didn't know that… thing would be running around here. It's too dangerous."

"What is dangerous, sister," Lisa snapped at her, "Is letting those hooligans run amok in our home city."

She took another shuddering breath.

"I am…" she confessed, "Moderately alarmed. My fight-or-flight responses are triggered to the nth degree, but…

"We need that data," Lisa finally pushed herself off of her shoulder. "And I'm not l-leaving without it."

The two sisters looked each other in the eye. For the first time in a long while, Leni felt like she could understand her younger sibling.

"Lisa, are you sure?" Leni sounded unsure. "We don't _have_ to do this."

"Yes," Lisa nodded. She tried to look fierce behind her glasses. "We venture on."

Leni stared at her.

"You are the bravest fiver-year-old I have ever met," she planted a kiss on her sister's forehead. "What lab are we in now?"

She must be the worst sister ever. Lori would never do this. Lincoln would never do this. Heck, _any_ one of her sisters would prioritize getting Lisa out safely. But not Leni. They came here for a job, and now they're going to do it.

"That door says section A," Lisa pointed out as they both crawled out of the cubicle. "We need to go deeper."

Leni, staying low to the ground, drifted mere inches above the carpet. She held the prodigy to her chest, hugging her tightly, as she peeked through the window. The glass had a fog design over it, but Leni could see out far enough. She couldn't hear the monster either.

"What do you think that thing was?" Leni asked her sister.

"My best scientific guess?" Lisa trembled. She was so scared and trying so hard to hide it. "I have yet to see an instance where a subject exposed to the radiation wasn't afflicted in some way. You, the villains, the other… victims on the news… they were all exposed in one way or another. Given that this is… ground zero, for the Event, I can guess that the faculty here were all exposed to the energies unleashed. The result being that their bodies and collective, panicking minds all coalesced into a singular entity. One forged out of electricity."

"Meaning…?"

"The staff that worked here," Lisa clarified, "became that monster."

Leni gasped in horror. What an awful thing to happen. Whatever that thing is now, it must be terrified.

The girl fished her phone out of her pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling Linky," she answered. The phone was already ringing. "He's pretty creative with this sort of thing."

"Well," Lisa muttered. "A new perspective might help."

Lincoln soon picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Linky," Leni looked out the window again. "Do you have a second?"

"Sure. What's up?"

Leni explained the situation as best she could, with Lisa jumping into the conversation with a little more exposition. When they were finished, Lincoln took his time before answering.

"Well, uh…" he stalled. "You said he was made out of electricity, right? So what if you turned on the sprinkler system? A lot of water normally shorts out villains like Power Grid. At least, in the comics it does."

"Power Grid?" Leni wondered.

"Oh, sorry," he answered. "Now's probably not the time for super names."

"Or," Lisa interjected bringing the conversation back on point. "The sprinklers could provide with an easier method of killing us.

"Besides," she added. "It looks like the sprinkler system went off already."

"How can you tell?" Lincoln asked over the phone.

"You smell that?" the younger girl asked. "Mold. All over this room. The sprinklers went off and nobody was here to clean up this mess."

"Well there _has_ to be something there you can use!" Lincoln argued. "Some places have a fire hose built into the wall."

Lisa thought for a moment. "Yes…" she seemed to recall. "I remember bringing up that particular redundancy. I didn't deem it necessary, but they insisted that it may be."

As the two discussed this, Leni felt the buzzing in her ears again. She looked out and saw more than a couple of lights flickering.

"Uh, guys," she said. "I can hear it coming back."

"What?" Lisa stammered.

"Its definitely coming back," Leni confirmed, as the buzzing was getting louder.

"B-but… how?!" Lisa demanded. "It found us the first time because we turned on the power. How could it find us this-"

The both of them looked at Leni's phone.

"Guys?" Lincoln wondered.

"Hang up!" Lisa smacked the screen, in her desperate bid to shut the phone off. In her attempt, she only ended up hiding the button she meant to press.

Leni locked the screen, shutting the phone off _and_ hanging up the call. She opened the door, stepping out and taking flight in the hallway. All just in time for Power Grid to lurch around the corner and roar with the sound of a hundred lost souls.

Leni fly back the way they initially came in.

"Wait, Leni!" Lisa cried out. "Other way!"

"Oh! Right!"

Leni dove down, making a vertical U-turn in the air and flying in the opposite direction. She flew under the several arms of the electrical beast, zipping past it and as it tried to swat at her.

Its skin was still a sea of surging electricity, but the mass had decided to use some of its glowing limbs to lift itself off the ground; balanced on four "legs" with individual digits. The four "arms" it had flailed wildly, with little control and direction. The electrical ball that connected it all constantly shifted around its limbs; showing vague resemblances to people Leni had never seen before. The more Leni looked at this creature, the more pity she felt for it.

Priorities first, though. They both had a job to do.

Power Grid stumbled over itself, but regained enough footing to turn around and give chase.

"Section B. Section B…" Leni looked for some obvious sign that would tell her where she needed to go. She ended up singing to herself. "Where are you… Section B…"

"There!" Lisa pointed out. "Observation lab!"

Leni followed her finger, and sped over to the door. She flung it open and set Lisa on the carpeted floor inside.

"Be right back." She said, closing the door behind her.

Leni flung herself to the air, as Grid tried to grab her at the spot she was standing just a second before.

She flew over to one of the abandoned cars, with a bed full of metal rods and other construction equipment. She slipped out one of the metal pipes and levitated to the roof. She banged the metal in her hand against the metal above her head.

"Hey! You-who!" She gave a whistle for added effect. "Over here, boy! Girl! Whatever you are!"

The Grid moaned in displeasure, charging at her with a staggering gait. Leni fluttered away, the beast swatting and flailing at her like an insect. She didn't have the time to think it over: her actions or her situation in all of this. Everything became based on instinct. Her ears, eyes, and even her nose tracked every burning movement of the monster made, and did everything they can to keep her alive.

As she flipped and twirled, leading Grid down the hall and further away from her sister, she spotted what she was looking for. A red box on the wall, with its red metal cabinet opened and beckoning her.

She dashed over to it, making a b-line to the container. She flung it open, grabbing the head of the fire hose inside. The rest of it spilled out onto the floor, and she pulled the lever to turn on the water.

The hose exploded with water, immediately wrestling itself out of her grip and spraying water everywhere. Leni shielded her eyes, and the Grid shied away. It was working! She just needs to focus the water.

Leni tackled the snake to the ground, worming her way up to its head. Meanwhile, the spray was starting to soak the ground, creating a massive puddle at Power Grid's feet. She gripped the hose's head, finally aiming it at the intended target.

Grid cried out, like a hundred voices screaming all at once. Leni fought the urge to cover her ears. The water burst into steam as it struck their surface.

The Grid disappeared from view, and Leni found the second latch on the hose that stopped the water from flowing. The steam cleared, and a significantly smaller mass of sparking electricity laid on its side. It looked like it was heaving.

Leni flew around it, giving the creature a wide berth, ready to grab her sister and leave this place forever.

"_Help_… _Us…"_

Leni paused and turned to the thing. There was no mistaking where the voice came from.

"_Please…_"

* * *

Leni took a breath, having just explained the whole situation to Luna. The musician wore a skeptical and disturbed expression the entire time.

"So… what happened to the monster?" Luna asked.

"It's… it's still there," Leni sighed. "I'm sorry, but I didn't know what else to do. We couldn't bring it back into the city. And we can't just keep it in our basement. At least there he has a little bit of elbow room."

"Don't worry about it," Luna placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll make an anonymous phone call. Government's got access to all the scientists. Maybe they can help them."

"I hope so…"

Luna looked at Leni. She looked like she wanted to say something to the older girl, but were interrupted by Lisa.

"Eureka, again!" Lisa declared.

The two looked to the toddler, turning from her desk.

"I have discovered a way to neutralize the powers of the afflicted! However temporary!" she explained excitedly. "All thanks to that possibly psychological trauma I experienced at the research base!"

The two older girls looked at each other before looking to Lisa once more.

"Also," Lisa then added. "Can I sleep in one of your beds tonight? No particular reason."

Luna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.


	10. Chapter 10

"Help!" a cry screamed through the air. "Oh God, somebody help me!"

Leni rushed as quickly as she could. The screams piercing her ears like knives. The voice was male, and it was coming from a dark alley.

She drifted down and saw two figures leaning over a bearded man.

"C'mon," he begged. "Please. I wasn't gonna do nothing. I swear!"

"We were watching you," one of the assaulters explained. He was hunched over, dressed in black. "Had your eyes on that rich family, right?"

"What? No!" he swore. "Lady had a nice necklace, is all!"

"Sure." The other one, mocked. He was wearing overalls. "Not thinking about mugging them at all, right?"

The man didn't answer.

"We're superheroes, you know," the overalls explained. He had springs locked around his shins. "He hurt bad guys."

"Oh god…" the man sounded even more terrified. "Please, man. I wasn't gonna…"

"I think that's enough." Leni called out.

The two muggers spun around, while the man on the ground scrambled up and ran away.

"You again." Springlocke recognized. "Buzz off. We're working here."

"No time for playing pretend, princess." The sickly Nox added.

Leni bristled, but put her hands on her hips. She managed to maintain a calm and imposing image.

"Surrender," she ordered. "And I'll see that you're treated fairly."

"Cute." Springlocke crouched down. "But I think we're going to decline."

He launched forward, firing himself like a bullet. Leni barely had enough time to step to the side when he zipped by.

She followed him, seeing him land in the street with cars. The stopped vehicles laid into their horns, screaming at the teenager to get out of the way. Springlocke just looked at the one closest to him. He raised his foot up, and slammed it on the hood of the car, completely crumbling the front of it into a V shape.

People shouted and screamed. Most of them ran. Springlocke freed his foot and took a step to the driver getting out.

"Stop!" Leni cried out. She zipped between the tall boy and the scared man. "What is wrong with you?! These people are just trying to live their lives!"

Having his full attention, the red head glared down at her. Leni heard the man she defended run away.

"They think I'm a freak!" he shouted at her. "Ain't none of them innocent!"

"They… did they hurt you?"

"Not yet," Springlocke answered, his tone never varying from anything but deathly serious. "I never gave them the chance.

"They already drag me through the mud for being a hick in the big city. Like I can afford to overhaul my wardrobe first thing! I go to school in what I got, and it ain't good enough?! Now I got this power, and I'm an even bigger freak! I bet you're thinking the same thing, ain't cha?"

Leni stammered. "I don't… I didn't even-"

"Well whoop-de-doo, you can fly! But you can't do this!"

He spun around, rounding his foot around his body and slamming his heel into Leni's stomach. She flew back, slamming into a different car stopped on the road. She fell to her hands and knees on the pavement, fighting for air. The pain faded enough for her to have a complete thought.

"Can't… do this… alone..." Leni heaved. She pressed the intercom in her ear. "Guys…? You there…?"

She got up to one knee and managed to shakily stand up. She leaned against the car she hit, catching her breath.

Springlocke was joined by his buddy.

"You didn't go crying about your backstory, did you?" the edgier of the two expressed. "I keep telling you; nobody cares where you're from."

"Hey!" Leni called out, grabbing their attention. "Not done yet!"

Nox sighed, and rolled the one eye Leni could see.

"I'll show you how its done," he told his companion.

He turned and lurked over to Leni. Leni stood up straight and took her stance, just like when she practiced with Lynn. He walked closer, and when he was in range, Leni took a step forward and threw a punch into his jaw.

And then, _through_ his jaw.

The darkly dressed teen evaporated under her touch, turning into a green and brown cloud that washed itself over her before she had any say.

Immediately, her eyes begin to water. Her lungs started to burn. Her gut reaction was to cough and hack as she fell to her knees again.

"_Leni_?" Lincoln answered. "_What's going on_?"

"Can't-" she hacked. "Breathe-!"

"_Fly. Up_!" Luna suddenly ordered.

Leni braced one foot under her, kicking herself up off the ground and into the air. She rose up, higher and higher, until she was above the buildings around her. The air cleared as she got away from her assailant. She took a few seconds to catch her breath.

"_Leni_," Lincoln advised. "_This might not be a fight we can win right now_."

"What?"

"_You might just have to leave it_ _this time_," Lincoln said again. "_I know Lynn has more hockey pads. And I know there's a gas mask around her somewhere_…"

"No, Lincoln," Leni argued. "They're right here. If I leave them now… I need to stop them."

"Who's Lincoln? You talking to a president?"

Leni spun around to see Nox reaching out to her. He could fly to?!

Leni fell back, diving back to the street. She watched Nox as she fell, watching as his legs were replaced by the same cloud that tried to suffocate her. He chased after.

She pulled up in time to not smack against the pavement, and flew away, circling up and down the street like a demented game of tag.

"You're all the same!" He shouted after her. "Us guys make the effort to be nice and compassionate! But you act like we're the bad guys!"

"_Is he…_?" Luan wondered.

"_I mean, probably_," Luna dismissed. "_Leni, how do you plan on dealing with him? You can't let him touch you_."

"Uh…" She tried to think of some ideas. "Give me a second."

She turned just in time to see Springlocke had joined them in the air, and was bringing his foot down on top of her.

She was slammed down to ground level; swatted out of the air like a fly.

Oh look, she landed on the same car as before. Cool. Cool…

As she groaned and rolled off of the glass and folded metals, she saw the two villains rejoining. She heard shouting in her ear, begging her to run away.

But she can't. That would be cruel. That would be cowardly.

"Failed…" she sucked in breath. "Failed too many… times…"

She planted her feet on the pavement and straightened her back. She stood as tall as she possibly could.

"I'm not running away," she declared.

With a shared look, the two villains grinned wildly. Nox turned into a cloud again and charged forward. Springlocke crouched down low and sprung himself at Leni with frightening amount of speed.

Leni couldn't explain why she did what she did next. She only knows that, for some reason, it worked.

She sucked in air, until what she thought she couldn't take in anymore. She held her breath as she just barely sidestepped Springlocke's assault. She managed to dive forward, flying under Nox's cloud body. As she bypassed the both of them, she turned back around and released the breath she'd been holding, like she was blowing out a birthday candle.

Except… it wasn't just like blowing air out for a candle. When she blew the air she'd been holding, it came out sounding like a howling wind. It hit with the force of a hurricane. It tipped over the car closest to her. It pushed others, making their tires skid across the street until they hit the curbs on both sides. Springlocke, who was just recovering his sense of balance from his attack was caught up in the winds and, though he tried to fight it, was blown off his feet. He was flung into the side of a building at the end of the road, pinned to the wall.

Nox's body, which was a little less than solid, got blown apart immediately. He evaporated, no trace of his gaseous form to be seen.

"_What... just happened_?" Luna sounded befuddled.

"_Super Breath_!" Lincoln cheered. "_She's got super breath_!"

It was hard to how long the winds lasted. It felt like there was more air in her lungs than what she actually took in. Eventually though, she ran out, and heaved to get the air back in her system. After she recovered, she looked around. Some people who were hiding in the buildings nearby, were sticking their heads out to see conclusion. Leni quickly flew over to the redheaded boy, who had fallen to the ground from the wall he was slammed against. He groaned on the sidewalk.

Leni reached into her pouch, pulling out a prototype version of the handcuffs Lisa had made. According to her, this should suppress his abilities.

She pinned his arms to his back, and snapped the device around his wrists.

She hesitated, and addressed the teen.

"You know," she stated. "I was told that Superman was a farm boy who moved to a big city. You could have been just like him."

Springlocke just laid there with a sneer across his face.

"…Shut up," Was his only response.

Leni stood up and scanned the area.

"_Where'd the human fart_ go?" Lincoln asked.

"_He'll turn up again,_" Luna answered. "_I don't think that was enough to actually... get him._"

"_Yeah,"_ Luan agreed. "_He'll show up again, alright. Like a bad bean burrito! It'll be a gas when he does!_"

Leni shook her head and picked up the defeated criminal. Off to the police with you!

One down, four to go.

* * *

Luna held her chin in her fingers. March? What happened in March? A restless night of staring at the ceiling with a young toddler clutching to her shirt gave her no answers. Nor did this day; featuring the villains "Fart boy" and "Spring-Heeled Jack." Leni was referencing _something_, but she just couldn't think of what.

She walked down the stairs, deep in thought. She was only brought back to reality when her mother called her from the kitchen.

"Luna!" she called out, "Come help with the dishes!"

Luna blinked and obeyed. She grabbed a towel on the rack and set to work.

"I'd call Leni but…" Rita sighed. "Honestly… That girl doesn't want to do _anything_."

Luna didn't answer. She just did her part, drying the plates one by one.

"Hey Mom?" she then wondered. The woman perked her eyebrows and hummed. "Do you…" She hesitated. She was seriously reaching here. "I was wondering… Did something happen, like back in March?"

"Hmm," Rita furrowed her brow. "Something… like what?"

"I don't know," Luna shook her head. "I'm reaching. Leni's been… I mean… I don't want to say _depressed_ but…"

"She just needs time, sweetie." Her mother reassured. "She doesn't like the changes happening in her life, and she needs to find her own ways to cope with that."

"No, that's just it," Luna explained. "I think something's really bothering her. She mentioned something happening in March and… for the life of me, I can't remember what she's talking about."

"Well, what did she say?"

"It was a conversation," she told her. "She said she was eavesdropping on-"

Luna froze. Realization struck the base of her skull and ran down her spine like lightening.

She tried to argue with the point. _No, that couldn't _possibly_ be it. She wouldn't have taken it seriously_. _There's no way!_

But the argument did nothing to dwindle the thought. If anything, it made it grow in the back of her mind like a flood.

"No…" Luna uttered, leaning on the counter. "She couldn't have held onto that for so long."

That day, Leni was getting ready to go with their dad to go get her driver's license. Luna was chilling on the couch, envious that the family ditz was going to get the freedom that she would have to wait a whole year for. Leni, being Leni, forgot her purse, ran upstairs and…

Luna said some things she shouldn't have.

She went on this tirade at her parents. All about how Leni shouldn't be driving. She threw in how often she struggles with the simplest of tasks. How she's not doing well in school (something she knew nothing of, but said anyway). How she'd never be able to actually take care of herself.

Yes, she actually said that.

She justified it, in her own mind, that she would stop the second she heard someone at the top of the stairs. And they might even take her along to bend the rules and get her own license.

Naturally, her parents scolded her. Saying that she should be supporting her sister. Even Lori gave her a disapproving look. Like _she_ had any room to judge.

Luna was being bitter. She was being irrational. Because she wasn't going to get what she wanted at that very second. The conversation ended with the decision that she wouldn't be allowed to get her license for another year, on top of the one she was already sitting through.

She relented, flopping back on the couch, and thoughtlessly picking strings on her guitar. She would get over it, eventually.

But with hindsight, she didn't see Leni as she walked out the door with their father. She had certainly taken her time searching for her purse upstairs…

The more she thought about it, the more she realized the older girl must have heard every horrible word she said. Her room's right above the living room, after all.

"Oh my God," Luna finally accepted the awful truth. "I did it. I broke my sister."


	11. Chapter 11

Leni followed a trail of destruction down the street. It started with a booming voice while she was a mile in the air. It was followed shortly by a series of chronic earthquakes, and screaming people, and swerving cars. All of this, so early in the morning?

Odd craters littered the street, with cars either crushed where they sat, or swerved onto the sidewalks. What in the world happened here?

"_That's a lot of meteors for one street_," Lynn noted.

"_Perhaps because they're _not_ meteors_," Lisa corrected. "_Actually, they look like_…"

"Footprints," Leni realized with a shiver.

As she flew, she heard another booming voice. It was close by, and it sounded like… sobbing?

She flew around the corner and yelped when she spotted the source of the noise. Sitting there, across the movie theater and with a slowly growing crowd, was a giant.

The giant had a greenish hue rolling off his back and shoulders, like a smoldering fire. He wore a black t-shirt with a blocky creature on it (Lincoln said it was from something called Minecraft?), and jean shorts. He wore light-up sneakers, and had curly black hair with his chocolate colored skin. He was curled up in a ball, his face buried in his arms and knees. His sobbing caused his shoulders to shake, occasionally bumping into the building behind him.

All the while, Lisa made her notes.

"_Subject appears to have gained the ability to grow in size_," she observed. "_Due to craters both past and current, I can see that the subject has retained his mass as he grew. Therefore, his weight grew with him. Which is unusual, as is the nature of the young man's clothes, which also grew with him. Perhaps he is generating a type of energy all his own, suggested by the light rolling off of him at this moment_."

"_Lisa_," Lincoln paused her. "_Save it for later_."

Leni drifted over to him. He hadn't noticed her. Her brother and sisters spouted all kinds of warning in her ear.

_Please don't be a villain. Please don't be a villain_.

"Hello?" Leni called out. "Excuse me?"

He didn't hear her. She raised her voice.

"Hello…!?"

The giant gasped, and slowly looked up. He saw her floating there, and her vision was largely encompassed by a set of wide green eyes. He wiped his tears away and gave a sniff that was as loud as thunder.

"…Am I going to jail now?" He asked Leni.

"Jail?" She drifted closer. She put her hands on his arm, which kind of felt like leaning against the roof of a school bus.

"Why would you go to jail?" she asked him.

He looked down, thinking it over. He shrugged.

"I broke stuff," he stated.

Leni melted at the sight of the poor thing. He was just a scared little boy. Er, maybe not so "little" anymore.

"I'm here to help. What's your name?" she asked him.

"…" he took his time answering. "David."

"_Oof_," Lynn muttered.

"David," Leni repeated. She smiled. "That's a nice name."

"You should change it!"

Leni gave a start and spun her head around, but didn't see anybody.

David found the source of the voice before she did. He leaned over the side, looking down at the street. Leni looked too, finding Mole-Man climbing out of a hole he dug in the middle of the street. He was still covered in dirt, head-to-toe, and the claws that served as his fingers looked as mean as ever. Oddly enough, they were the only thing not covered in dirt, shining as white as bone.

"Not that I'm dissing the name," he continued. "I mean, you're a superhero now, right? You need a superhero name."

His voice sounded nasally, like he was doing all his breathing through his mouth. Did he have a cold, or is that just how he is?

"Be careful David," Leni turned to the giant boy. "That's a bad guy."

"Well that's a little presumptuous," the digger argued over her. "I'm part of an elite superhero group. We're like the Avengers, only more real. And they sent me here to recruit you."

"He's lying to you David," Leni argued. "You can't listen to him. They hurt people. They're villains!"

"Girls," Mole-Man waved off casually. "They're all crazy, right David? All of them are just control freaks, right?"

"_This is bad_," Lincoln noted. "_Really, really bad_."

"_We should consider moving this talk to a more secure location_," Lisa suggested.

"_Shut him up, Leni_!" Lynn told the girl. "_Knock him out_!"

Leni turned to David one last time. She switched to a tone she picked up from her mother.

"Honey," she spoke kindly. "I need to handle this first. Can you hang in there for just a second?"

David nodded with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth.

"I promise I'll help you get home as soon as I'm done," Leni added.

"That's cute," Mole-Man brandished his claws at his sides. "Thinking you can take me on."

"_You can take him Leni_," Lynn encouraged. "_This bozo's got nothing on you_!"

"_You got a brand-new power, too_!" Lincoln added. "_Keep in mind what we practiced_!"

"I have to try first, guys," she answered them. She turned back to dirt coated teen. "I'll give you one chance; surrender yourself freely, and I'll see to it that you're treated fairly."

Mole-Man just laughed at her. Leni shook her head, disappointed.

She then took a breath, and assumed her stance, facing her opponent sideways while keeping her closed fists to her chest. One foot forward, one back.

Mole-Man dove forward, like a swimmer off a diving board. The asphalt parted for him like water, and before Leni realized it, he disappeared underground, leaving another gaping hole.

"What?" Leni blinked, befuddled.

"_Did he run away_?" Lynn wondered.

"_Something tells me it won't be that easy_."

Leni heard rumbling behind her and turned just in time to see an explosion of dirt, with Mole-Man rising with it, lunging at her.

He swiped his claws at her, one hand cutting across her arm, the other cutting into her side.

"Aah!" she shouted as she failed to dodge. That _hurt_!

Mole-Man rolled past her, landing back on his feet.

"You really want to call us villains?" he taunted her. He held up his claws to show the small amount of red liquid that he snatched away from her. "Villains are always out for blood."

"_What. A tool_."

"You know," Leni offered, "Not to be mean, or anything, but that voice is doing more harm than good for you. Have you tried speech therapy?"

She meant it in earnest, but Mole-Man sneered behind his goggles. He charged at her, slashing his claws in an attempt to cut her to ribbons.

"Everyone. Always. Says that!" he shouted with each consecutive swing. He tried to bring his claws down on top of her head, but she saw it coming and jumped away to get some distance between them.

"You think you're the only one to tell me that?" he gave an ugly sob. "When I got my powers, I was wishing to crawl in a hole and die! All because of my voice. Do you have any idea what's it's like, having everyone talk about you the second you turn around?"

Leni nodded in sympathy.

"Every day," she answered him.

"Well they can go to hell!" Mole-Man dismissed. "All of them! I can get into any place now! Vaults, bunkers, they're all mine! The earth is my plaything, now! I can create sinkholes, and I'll make enough of them so that the whole city is completely uninhabitable! I won't be the Mole-Man of Royal City. I'll be the Royalty of Mole City! The Mole-King!"

Leni lunged forward, laying a cross across his nose. She grabbed his arm, throwing him over her shoulder and flipping him toward the ground, all while rising in the air; letting him drop that extra foot.

He hit the ground, regained his bearings, and started tunneling underneath him. It was like he was swimming. The earth really was his plaything.

Leni can't let him get away. And she can't let him get the drop on her either.

"What's the last thing he'd expect?" Leni asked her family on the earpiece.

"_For you to go in after him_?" Lynn suggested with an audible shrug.

Huh. Not a bad idea.

"_Wait. Hold on_!" Lincoln tried to argue.

It was too late, Leni had made up her mind. She silently thanked her brother for packing a small flashlight as she pulled it out of her pouch. She dove in the hole after Mole-Man. The feeling was instantly claustrophobic, and the sensation of all the dirt crumbling on top of her was driving her crazy. But the confined noises, narrow pathway, and vibrations of moving dirt and rocks made it easy to find Mole-Man. She spotted his legs, his shoes scraping pebbles in her eyes.

He had no idea!

Leni grabbed the digger's leg, making him freeze like a kid caught with the cookie jar.

"Huh?" was the only thing he got to say.

Now, the trick was, how to get him out? Well, Leni had never tried it before, but now was the perfect time to test if her flying powers could work in reverse.

She willed herself to move backwards, keeping a tight grip on the Mole-kid's leg. She shot out of the hole, covered in cuts and mud and bugs, holding her prize up like a caught, panicking, and screaming fish.

"Let me down!" he begged. "Let me down!"

"Why?" Leni wondered. "What's wrong?"

He whimpered. Audibly giving up and… was he crying?

"I'm afraid of heights," he simpered. "Please put me down. I'll be good. I swear. Please put me down."

Leni looked down, they were a couple of stories in the air. Ultimately, it wasn't that high up, but... if you were scared of heights and being dangled by your foot like this...

Leni felt pity for him. She sighed and slowly let him down. Slapping one of the cuffs on him. Amazingly, he didn't fight back or try to escape.

"I'm sorry you felt so hurt," Leni sympathized. "And, like, I'm sorry you didn't have anybody to help you with it. I have my fair share of bullies too."

He didn't say anything, he just sat there in silence.

Leni turned to the reason she came here to begin with, the giant boy that had been crying. He had moved from his seated position to sitting on his hands and knees, watching the fight like they were action figures, no doubt.

"David!"

The two looked over and saw a man sprinting towards him. He had familiar features on him.

"Daddy!" The child boomed, he reached out towards him, but thought better of it. "Wait."

The father didn't stop until he was at the boy's side. He held onto the boy's arm, like it was a tree he waited his whole life to see.

"David! Buddy!" he called up to his son. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? Where'd Nancy go?"

"No," David sniffed and started to tear up. Globs of water ran down his face and dripped off his chin. "I'm sorry! I saw Freddy Smithson while we were out, and I just..." He sobbed and tried to wipe his face.

"It's okay, buddy. It's okay. Daddy's here," the man tried to soothe him. He turned to Leni. "I don't know who you are, but thank you."

"It's my pleasure," Leni nodded.

The boy looked at his dad. "Dad... I want to go home."

"I do to, buddy," he assured him, "But i don't think you'll fit in the apartment!"

Leni looked at the boy, and saw despair cross his face. It was starting to set in, just how big he was, the problems that creates, and the options that takes away.

"Can I try something?" Leni asked the father.

With his approval, she drifted up to David's head.

"David, sweetie," Leni advised. "Can you close your eyes for me? I want you to try and concentrate. Focus on being small. Okay?"

He obeyed. His face scrunched up in concentration.

"I'm... trying!" he complained.

"Try thinking of it like a giant switch," Leni added. "like, a big, red switch."

Another minute later, David's stature seemed to falter. He shrank in size, going from several stories in height to only a few feet tall. A regular eight-year-old.

"Oh, thank god," the father scooped up the boy in his arms. "Thank you."

Leni nodded with a smile. She turned back to Mole-Man.

"And now to take care of you."

* * *

Leni set down in front of the police station. Instead of the usual drop off though, she came inside with her recent addition.

When she walked into the lobby, she took it in for the first time. She'd never been inside a police station before. Perhaps at one point it was designed to be grand and welcoming, but time seems to have eaten away at the establishment. Much of the paint was faded, and the electrical lighting seemed dimmer than what it should have been. The plaques on the wall didn't seem as awe inspiring as Leni had initially thought.

"_Leni_," Lincoln buzzed in her ear. "_What are you doing_?"

She didn't answer, as the lobbyist got her immediate attention.

"Can I help you?" He asked, unsure. He was leaning forward over the desk, standing on his feet. More cops walked within the department, but whenever she was spotted, they stopped and stared. It was almost like they were unsure of how to react to her.

"Um…" She stammered.

"Hobbs!" someone from within the department called out. "You got another one!"

Leni snapped her head to the calling voice, though didn't see who yelled it out. She turned to the lobbyist.

"I think I'll just wait for Mr. Hobbs," she answered.

He nodded, giving her a weird look. He sat back down, and no sooner did Hobbs appear with a tired look on his face. He sighed through his nose as he saw the two of them.

"Cody!" he called over his shoulder. "Give me a hand here!"

The man in question appeared and took Mole-Man off of Leni's hands, escorting him down a hallway.

"You," Hobbs ordered Leni. "With me. Now."

He didn't sound like he was in the mood for playful banter. Leni followed him through a surprising number of cubicles, until they arrived at an open desk that must be his office.

He sat down at the desk and waved at a chair.

"Have a seat," Hobbs was still ordering.

Leni sat down, painfully aware of the eyes boring into the back of her head. She kept her hands where people could see them.

Hobbs seemed to be taking his time, rubbing his eyes and trying to figure out where to start.

"Miss… anonymous," he started, "Sky Girl. _Whatever_ your name is… Are you aware of the term vigilante?"

"No," Leni answered honestly.

"It refers to an individual, or a group of people," he pointedly explained. "That takes the law into their own hands. Without the consulting justice systems put in place for that sort of thing."

Leni looked down, focusing on a corner of the desk, thinking about his words.

"It's also illegal," he added. "And people can go to jail for it."

Meanwhile, Lincoln was reading something out. "…_takes the law into their own hands… typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate. Leni, you're a vigilante because the police can't do what you do_."

Leni nodded and cleared her throat. This needed to be one heck of a sale. And… maybe she came in here to do just this.

"I'm not trying to be a vigilante," Leni answered. "I'm not trying to be a criminal, or, like, be difficult."

"You want to do our job for us."

"No. Well, like, yes. But… not like that."

She took a breath. It was going to take a minute, but she needed it to be said.

"I'm here to help," she said, "That's all. I saw people… getting hurt. And I just… I didn't want to do nothing."

Hobbs nodded, like he understood.

"Those people…" she continued. "Mole-Man-"

"Mole-Man?" Hobbs questioned. "Pigpen? Covered in dirt?"

"Yes," Leni agreed. "And people like him-"

"What kind of people?" Hobbs interrupted again.

"Springlocke," Leni listed off. "Spider. A few more kids running around: Noxious, Ink, and the leader, Meltdown."

Hobbs made a face and started laughing. It was uproarious, and pierced through the other noise in the office area.

"Man…" Hobbs sighed. "Man-oh-man… I live in a comic book now. This is freaking crazy…"

He pulled a bottle of mints out of the drawer. The drawer caused the whole table to shake, knocking over a picture off his desk, and making the officer swear.

Leni picked it up and looked at it. It was a family picture, a father and daughter screaming in delight of the moment.

"That's my daughter," Hobbs patiently took the picture from her. "She's graduating this year. Or, she's supposed to be. You know her?"

It was a loaded question, an attempt to learn Leni's name by getting more informational clues. Leni looked up at the man. She remembered the reason she came her, and decided on her answer.

"I don't know her personally," Leni confessed. "I just see her with her friends at school. She seems nice."

"Hmph," Hobbs huffed.

A second of silence passed between the two of them.

"Mr. Hobbs," Leni said, "Officer. I'm not trying to be difficult. I just want to help with the police. To keep people from getting hurt."

"…_You have to word it carefully, Leni_," Luna was suddenly in her ear. "_Say this: I want to cooperate with the police to protect the citizens. My family among them_."

Leni's back stiffened and she parroted the words. "I want to cooperate with the police to, like, protect the citizens. My family too."

"_Close enough_," Lynn shrugged.

Hobbs looked at her in the eyes. Was he absorbing details, or mulling over her words? His eyes darted to her ear for a second. Maybe he knew from the start that this was a team effort on her part.

"Follow me," he stood from his desk. Leni obeyed and, within a minute or so, was standing in front of a cell. Guards armed with guns stood by at the ends of the hallway. They seemed to twitch their eyes around like they were consumed by paranoia.

"These are the perps you brought in already," He waved an arm at them all. Crusher was shoved into a corner, looking at her with burning hatred. Springlocke was sitting on the bench, with Mole-Man being the most recent addition.

"_Huh_," Lincoln noted. "_Kind of hard to believe that, after everything that's happened, we only caught three villains_."

_"Because there's supposed to be five,_" Luna pointed out. "_Dream Queen and Spider are_ _missing._"

"Where are the other two?" Leni asked, horror striking her voice.

"We can barely hold these three as it is," Hobs explained. "The boy took a turn for the worst. He's under a careful watch at the hospital. And the girl..."

He sighed. "We turned her over first. The rest of them are making the same trip in a day or two. Whenever the armored carrier gets back."

"What!?"

"Miss," Hobs argued. "We couldn't feed her, we couldn't reason with her... The moment we took that gag off, she very nearly killed six officers. We had to send her away."

Leni lowered her head. Midori Summers was in a dark place, and seemed contempt to stay there. Maybe they couldn't reason with her.

"Some people don't know it yet," Hobs added. "but the city's about to pop. We can't hold people like them here."

"Lis-" Leni stopped herself. "A friend of mine made special handcuffs to dull their powers. She's been forwarding the blueprints and methods to the government. They can help with-"

"They're demanding we turn these kids over to them. You included." Hobbs informed her.

Lynn cursed on the other end of her earpiece. Luna sounded like she was about to join her.

"_Science experiments_," Luna told her. "_If they turn over those kids to the government... They'll never be seen or heard from again_."

Leni's mind flashed back to little David and his father.

"You can't let them take them!" Leni begged.

"I might not have a choice!" Hobbs argued back. "These people are a menace! And I got a general on my ass, telling me to hand them over tomorrow!"

"They're lost!" Leni pleaded. "And they're scared. They need treatment! Medicine!"

Hobbs shook his head. "This isn't my call to make, girl."

"They're has to be some way to help them," Leni carried on. "Something that not even a general would be willing to do."

The room was silent for a moment.

"Excuse me."

Leni turned to see a new face. An old white man with gray hair and suspenders.

"You're the super-girl?" he gestured at her. She nodded. "You two. My office."

They followed him into a room that reminded Leni of the Principal's office. At least, it had the same amount of weight in the air, in her mind.

"Sit."

Leni was shocked to find the other adult in the room obey the order, taking the chair next to her. The gray-haired Commissioner poured packets of sugar into a mug as he spoke. Taking his time with stirring it. The name on his desk said "Reilly."

"Comic books were all the rage, back in my day," he went on. "I still read some, with my grandson, sometimes. Nowadays, people only tend to care about comic books if it does something that offends them."

Leni glanced from the old man to the slightly younger one next to her. His eyes were impatient. He's been lectured in this room before.

"Frankly," he continued. "I'm amazed more people haven't died. We got the usual victims. Gangbangers making their moves. Looters. Murderers. All that ugly sh- stuff."

"_Old fashioned_," Lincoln surmised. "_Doesn't cuss in front of girls_."

"_Yeah, yeah_," Lynn complained. "_Get on with it_."

"These vigilantes are a problem, though," he looked at Leni. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Leni shifted in her seat.

"Yes," she nodded.

"What do you suggest we do about it?"

Leni looked at him. His eyes were critical, and weary. She needed a good answer to give him. She didn't have one… and all this attention is making her very uncomfortable!

Wait a second.

"Attention…"

"Pardon?"

Leni locked eyes with the Commissioner. Leni wasn't sure about what she wanted to say. She had the idea in her mind, but the words came slowly.

"What if…" she started to say, "What if the sup-er, I mean, _victims_… What if they, like, had interviews?"

"Interviews," Commissioner Reilly echoed.

"Like," Leni continued. "I used to do fashion shows, like, all the time. Like for charity. And we'd give out pamphlets with information on the event. Like with cancer research, or autism awareness, or other stuff like that. A lot of people attending the shows would leave with a little more knowledge than before."

The two men blinked at her.

"So your saying… we should hold a fashion show…"

"No," Leni waved her hands, only slightly distracted by the images that conjured up. "I mean… People need to know what's happening. These are victims we're dealing with. Powers or no powers. If the people knew what that general guy was trying to do…"

Leni let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"I think they would help," Leni concluded.

The man across the desk nodded and looked over to Hobbs, who shrugged.

"It's not a bad idea," Hobbs said. "Weirdly enough. Public outcry. Safest place for them might be the spotlight."

"Might be…" the Commissioner thought it over. "Alright kid. We'll try it your way. I got a brother in law on prosecution. I'll run some things by him, take this on from a legal angle. Jacob, how's Holly these days?"

"Chief." Hobbs sounded like he was pleading. "Don't do that to me."

"She ain't gonna kill you," Reilly waved off. "Not without dinner first. Just ask her, will you?"

Hobbs didn't answer. He just shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

"You, on the other hand," Reilly pointed to Leni. "Are going to be in contact with us. Working with us. Hobbs will be your contact."

"Wait. Hold up."

"_This seems kind of…_" Lincoln audibly tensed up.

"_Superfluous,_" Lisa finished. "_Considering we're here._"

"_This line is crowded enough as it is_!" Luan complained.

"No complaints," Reilly held up his hand. "You're here to help, this is how you help. We communicate. You let Hobbs know when a crime is in progress. You report every detail _truthfully_, and we can respond that much more quickly to a scene. Capiche?"

Leni nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good," Reilly sat back. "Go get 'em, tigers."

The two stood and walked out. Hobbs paused a few steps out of the office and sighed.

"Alright," he said, "Alright. You got your phone on you?"

She brought it out and they tapped the devices together.

"No cat videos," he instructed. "No emojis. Just business and emergencies. We clear?"

"O-okay," Leni gulped.

A brief few seconds of silence passed.

"Uh…" Leni stated. "I know this is going to be, like, really hard to do… but I know it's the right thing."

Hobbs nodded.

"Well," he said, "If the right thing were easy, everyone would be doing it.

"You're a brave kid," he noted. "I'll give you that. Just go home for today. Hug your parents. Maybe tell them what you've been up to."

"Maybe," Leni answered with a smile.

* * *

Meltdown sat in his chair, mulling over the new information.

"Lincoln," he repeated. "You're sure that's what you heard?"

"Hundred percent." Nox reported. "I mean, who names their kid "Lincoln?" Who hates their kids that much?"

"Yours," Ink mocked. "Actually naming you Dirt."

Nox started screaming at her, yelling profanities. Meltdown stood from his chair, and chucked a fireball at their feet.

"Enough!" he silenced them.

They flinched as the embers scattered at their feet. They saw his eyes glowing red like hazard lights. The image made him look like Superman. The air was heavy with the unnatural heat.

"We have enough to deal with already!" He scolded them. "Without infighting!"

He took a breath, his eyes dimming down, though his face still retained his fury.

"We need to deal with this," he decided. "Deal with _her_. She takes out Springlocke. And now, Mole-Man's off the field. And we don't even have the new recruit like we thought we would."

"Maybe you shouldn't have trusted him with the job," Ink dismissed.

"He was perfect for the job," Meltdown corrected her. "It's that self-righteous nobody that's the problem. Now we got the leftovers of all the gangs in town teaming up against us. You want to fight that many thugs, just the three of us?"

The two shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't think so," he paced in front of them. "We only got the one crystal rod left. And we can't have her getting in our way again."

"So what do we do?"

Their leader thought for a second.

"I'll be right back," he decided. "Don't wait up for me."

He brushed past them, leaving the hideout they had set up in their confrontation with Spider. He wasn't in his costume, so walking down the street wasn't a big deal. And no one knew his face or what he'd been up to, so making his way into the Library was no problem. All the same, people swayed away from him.

It was his face. The entire walk was worn with a look of hatred. It didn't matter who crossed his path; everybody was in danger, and anybody could set him off.

He reached the library and sat at the desk without incident, though. He opened up a web browser and googled a single name.

"Leni Loud."

He found some social media sights, finding the photos of a blond girl with a staggering amount of selfies. Most of which featured other people. Friends, family… this one featured an older woman that might have been her boss.

Sifting through the multiple sights the girl used, and the bits and pieces of information from here and there, he managed to piece together a picture. He put names to faces. He got pieces of their personality. He understood the naming convention behind the family.

It was huge.

How many kids were in that house? He had to start over a couple of times. He narrowed it down to fifteen, but then realized that two or three of them might be friends of Leni, not siblings. There's the marker of where she took these pictures. Her house. The mall. A school. These profiles haven't been updated in a couple of months.

Rita. Lynn. Lori. Luna. Luan. Lynn Jr. Lincoln. Lucy. Lola. Lana. Lisa. Lily.

Leni.

"How bold of you, Loud," He muttered to himself. "Making enemies when you have so much to lose."


	12. Chapter 12

"Guess who's home?!"

Lori raised her arms in the doorway. Front door kicked open, waiting for the rush of hugs and hello's to knock her down.

Still waiting…

"They're not home, honey," Rita followed her through the door. "Or, they're holed up upstairs."

Rita muttered as she set her purse and keys aside. "Honestly. I don't know _what_ those kids are up to."

"I'll go say hi," Lori volunteered, making her way up the stairs.

"Dad's at the restaurant today!" She called from the living room. "He'll be home with dinner a little later!"

Lori smiled. From what she'd gathered, people were scared to go out into the city for a little while. The fact that Dad's busy running Lynn's Table means that people are starting to relax a little. Maybe they should go see him. If, for no other reason than to say hi. With Lori being given a brake from school, at least for a little while, maybe she could work there again. A little extra money never hurt.

She reached the top of the stairs and looked around the hall.

"That's weird," she wondered out loud. No noise. No horseplay. No music, or jokes, or threats. Honestly, where's the chaos? Are they even in the right house?

"Leni?" Lori pushed on the door to her shared room. Empty. She didn't have any more luck with Luna and Luan's room. Nor Lynn and Lucy's. No one in the twin's room. She took a second to look out their window to make sure no one was in the back yard.

"Over here."

Lori spun around with a chill in her spine.

"Luan?" she crept forward. "If this is one of your pranks, I swear, I will literally…"

She didn't finish the thought. The rooms she hadn't checked were Lincoln's room, the nursery, and the bathroom. She doubted everyone was hiding in the bathroom. She decided to check the nursery first.

"Hello…?" Lori slowly opened the door. She gasped in horror. All her siblings. They were here. Strewn about the floor. Either passed out… or dead! Only Lily seemed conscious, leaning against the bars of her crib. She looked at her with a question in her eyes.

"Oh my god," Lori breathed. She started panicking. "Mom!"

She turned to see the imaged of a sickly teenager she didn't recognize.

"Mommy's taking a nap," he informed her. "You are too."

Lori didn't even have time to scream. The stranger lifted his hand, spraying her with a cloud of noxious air. Lori involuntarily breathed in. She started hacking and coughing, and her thoughts were going blank. She collapsed to her hands and knees, trying to fight a losing battle for her lungs.

"Ugh," the boy complained, as Lori lost consciousness. "So many bodies. Ink better get here soon."

* * *

"Welcome to Lynn's Table! How can I help you today, sir?"

Meltdown looked up from his menu, making it a point to be as friendly as possible.

"Hi there," he greeted. "My name's TJ. I was wondering who I have to talk to for getting a job here?"

"Oh," the waiter blinked. "We're still a little understaffed at the moment, so we'd appreciate the help. Did you have a position in mind?"

"Uh…" Meltdown chuckled. "Fry cook?"

"Oooh," the man joked with him, "You'll have to take it up with the boss on that. He's _very_ serious when it comes to his dishes. I'll see if he's up for an interview for you."

"Thanks."

It took a while, but soon he was escorted through the restaurant and to the back room.

"Hi there!" another joyous man greeted him. "Hope you don't mind me cooking while we talk, I've got a lot of orders to fill out."

"I can see that," Meltdown nodded.

"So what to they call you?" the man asked, juggling a couple of frying pans at once.

"Tobias Valentino Jr." he answered, "Everyone calls me TJ."

"Well, a pleasure to meet you TJ! My name's Lynn, as in Lynn's Table, you might have noticed." He joked, but it was clear that he was standing in the man's pride and joy.

"I did," TJ nodded. "I heard you opened up last year. And almost every good thing about it."

"You're acing the interview so far, bud," Lynn laughed. "So what position are you interested in?"

"Oh, uh, none of them," TJ dismissed. He looked around the kitchen, looking at all the tools, and noticing the fire alarm. "I actually wanted to run a few things by you."

"Okay…?" Lynn sounded confused.

"You got a lot of kids, right?" he asked. "One boy, and a lot of girls. Right?"

Lynn set the pans he was working on down on the stove tops. He grabbed a ladle and shoved it into TJ's face.

"If you came here for a fake interview," he threatened, "Just so you can ask for my daughter's number, you wouldn't be the first. And you can get the hell out of my kitchen."

Meltdown just looked at the man. He reached up and grabbed the ladle, snapping it in his fingers like it was made of wet clay. Lynn blinked and watched as the young man wadded the metal up in his fingers, making a orange ball of scrap. He dropped it down next to him, the heat from the ball cracking the tiles.

"Not really interested in dating, Mr. Loud," he explained to the man. "I just want to talk."

He held his hands up in front of him, lighting them ablaze. He reached up with one arm, and a stream of flames at the alarm immediately set it off. Sprinklers set off throughout the restaurant. A wave of complaints filled the building, and the crowd rushed out in an instant. Even the help, just the two kids looking for an opportunity to make some more money, rushed with them.

It was just the two of them now.

"Now," Meltdown smiled. "About your daughter…"

* * *

Leni drifted down slowly, doing her best not to scream.

This was a mean old cat!

Thankfully, the cat had enough sense to not dig into her new costume. After her most recent escapade with Mole-Man, she decided to update her look. She brought out the old costume she used when they were trying to win that comic-con contest. She kept the sleeveless turquoise top, white skirt, and black belt, but she replaced the scarf with her cape. She added some white gloves, but the bow and glasses had to go. She still kept her hair back in a ponytail. While she wore shorts with it, she wished she thought to add some sort of leg-wear aside from her boots. The others were torn, but it's October, and it's only going to get colder!

When she set her boots on the ground, she leaned down to hand fluffy off to the old lady who owned him.

"Here you go," Leni cheerfully let go. The cat did not. "Ow."

"Oh don't mind Larson," she took the cat away from her. "He's just scared of heights. Isn't that right Larson? Say thank you to the nice girl."

The cat meowed (actually it was more like a cry for help), in response.

"Happy to help, ma'am," Leni waved off. "Take care, Larson."

She flew above the street and away from the neighborhood. She took a breath.

"Whew," she breathed. She rubbed the cat scratches on her arms, already sealed and fading. "Like, what is the deal with cats and trees? Just… why?"

She expected to get an answer from her earpiece. She got none. She tried calling directly while flying listlessly.

"Hello?" she called with one finger to her ear. "Luna? Guys? Anyone there?"

No answer.

What happened? They were talking to her a minute ago.

"Luna?" she tried again. "It's Leni. You said you wanted to talk."

Nothing.

"Oh…kay…"

Leni set down on a nearby roof, pulling out her cellphone.

"What's going on over there?" she wondered.

Before she got the chance to call anyone, the phone started ringing. It was her Dad. She answered it without thinking.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, Leni," the voice on the other end greeted. "How're you doing?"

"Hey Dad," Leni's brow furrowed. "Your voice sounds kind of different. You're not sick, are you?"

"No, no," the voice assured. "He's fine. Your dad's right here. So's the rest of your family."

Then it started to hit Leni. Something was wrong.

"Who-" she hesitated. "Who is this?"

"You take out my crew and you forget who I am?" he laughed. "I'll give you a hint: you made my costume for me."

Leni didn't answer right away.

"You gave me my name."

Leni was still quiet.

"I have fire powers," he sounded impatient now.

"Meltdown," she realized.

"Now she gets it," he sighed. "My friends and I were just talking about you, and we heard that your dad had the best restaurant in town. So we thought we'd meet up and Lynn's Table and invite you over."

Leni's skin ran cold. How did they know? How does he know?

"And wouldn't you know it?" Meltdown continued, "We found your whole family here too. All nine of your sisters, and your little brother too.

"Don't keep us waiting."

He hung up, and Leni was left unsure of what to do.

It suddenly occurred to her how alone she was. No advice. No family. No backup.

Wait. Hobbs.

She unlocked her phone and found her way to the dial screen, but she hesitated. What would he tell her to do? Not move? Don't do anything? There would be a hostage situation that could take hours or days to resolve. Or, by the time they show up, they'll have abandoned the restaurant with her family in tow. Or worse yet, they decide to do something to take their revenge out on them.

She doesn't have the time.

"I'll… I can send him a text on the way there." She decided, taking to the skies.

Lynn's Table was one of the few locations in the city Leni could tolerate. She loved seeing her dad so happy. She loved that Lori was able to work there for a little while, even if Leni herself couldn't.

She set down at the front entrance, unable to see the inside of the building. Normally there'd be loads of families here. She entered the front door, only to see Ink at the front counter.

"Table for one?" she mockingly offered. "Or twelve."

Leni didn't answer. She only followed the teen girl to one of the seating areas. The building was abandoned, with half eaten meals left behind. Puddles of water were everywhere, even squishing the carpet where they walked. Their family was split up among the booths, with Nox at the opposite end watching the crowd. Ink joined his watch as she escorted Leni to the area. Mom and Dad were in the booth closest to her, facing away from her, and towards the rest of the kids. Mom held Lily, trying to console the infant.

The next booth had Luan facing her parents across two tables. Lisa was next to her, away from the isle. The toddler had her face buried in her sister's side, sobbing heavily, while Luan tried to comfort her. Lynn sat across from Luan, her teeth clenched and fists on the table. It seemed like Luan was trying to talk her out of doing something stupid. Lucy was in the dark next to Lynn.

Lori sat in the next booth with her back to Luan's. Lincoln sat across from her. He noticed Leni first, and only nodded with a determined look in his eyes. Leni could only guess he was trying to give her a reassuring message, but she didn't know what.

The final booth had Luna sitting at the edge of her seat. With the twins sitting across from her. She noticed Leni as well, and the older girl could swear she saw her lip quiver.

Leni choked back a sob. No. She needed to be strong.

She stepped forward and into the side of their vision. The gave a start.

"Oh!" Rita gasped. She then blinked and squinted at her. "Leni?"

Leni didn't deny it. She lifted her hands to her face and pulled the domino mask away from her eyes.

"Hey, Mom," she greeted. "Dad."

She felt like she was going to die standing up. The shocked look on her mother's tired face was like a knife in her chest. It only dug deeper when she saw the state of her father. A nasty bruise across his cheek like he'd been slugged. She took a shaky breath and did everything in her power not to cry. A couple hot tears streamed down her face anyway.

"It was you," Rita realized. "I should have… Oh honey, I should have known…"

"It's okay, Mom," Leni lied. She looked over to her father. "Dad? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine sweetie," he tried to reassure her. He reached out across the table and Leni grabbed his hand. He gripped tightly. "Whatever you do now, just be careful."

She nodded. Lily was looking up at her expectantly. Leni took a moment to kiss the baby's hand as she reached out for the older girl.

"Bloody hell," Ink mocked her. "Get on with it already!"

Leni flashed her a look she almost never gave. The villain didn't back down, but Leni didn't move right away either.

"It'll be okay," she promised her parents. "I promise."

She moved on to the next table. She asked the comedian if she was alright and she nodded solemnly. Leni stroked Lynn's hair, and that seemed to calm her down significantly. Lucy wrapped her arms around Lynn.

"I'll fix this," Leni told them.

Lori stood up when Leni approached them. She stared at Leni in awe.

"Oh my god." She breathed. "It's you. I mean… of course it's you."

"Lori…" Leni embraced her sister. Her best friend. "I'm so sorry. I-"

"Don't you dare," she said into her ear. "Don't you dare be sorry."

She pulled away. Tears were in her eyes and a loving smile on her face. "I've been watching you. Before I knew…" She wiped the tears away. "I think I always knew… I'm so proud of you, Leni."

Now Leni really did cry. She sobbed into Lori's shoulder, while the older girl patted her back.

"I missed you," Leni sobbed.

"I know," Lori shushed her. "I missed you too."

Leni stepped back and pulled herself together as much as possible. She slid the mask back over her face and turned to Lincoln. He was trying to be so brave, his chest puffed out. His fists rested on the table.

"Leni… I'm…" he tried to say.

"It's going to be alright," she told him, stroking the side of his face. "I promise."

"Make too many of those and you'll really be in trouble!"

Leni snapped her gaze over to Meltdown, stepping from the back room in full costume.

"Sorry for the wait," he said without apologizing. "I couldn't do this without the suit."

Leni straightened her back and rolled her shoulders.

She was ticked off!

"Why are you doing this?" She demanded. "What could justify…"

"You did this!" he pointed at her. "Not me! I'm trying to rid the city of its cancer, and you don't have the backbone to go through with it!"

The two stared at each other in silence for a moment. Then, Meltdown pulled a chair at one of the tables.

"Come," he gestured at her, his voice much calmer. "Sit."

She looked to Lori, who nodded, and walked over to the table. The table was set next to Lori and Lincoln's booth.

She sat down on a wet seat, but ignored the discomfort. She watched Meltdown's every move. He could detonate himself right here, and everything Leni cared about would be gone. She needed to find a way to get him out of here.

"Let's talk about family," he said with false sprightly vigor. "I'm an only child, so I learned that my friends kind of had to fill the void of boredom in my childhood."

"You had one of those?" Lola chirped up.

Heads turned to their table, while Luna shushed her and told her to be quiet.

"Nice family," Metldown nonchalantly laughed off. "You all related, or adopted?"

"Related," Leni answered, anger growing with the tightness in her chest. "Why'd you take them?"

He threw his arms up, like he was saying "Seriously?"

"You started it, actually," he chuckled. "I was kind of pissed, with Spider getting away and all. Then you refused my offer. Then you go after my guys, taking them out one by one-"

"And that gives you the right to… to…"

"Brutalize," Lucy piped up.

"Brutalize my family?!"

"I'm not done," he continued. "Then, you get in the way of my recruitment. David could've been my the biggest gun in my arsenal."

"He's eight years old!" Leni argued. "He doesn't need to be in a gang war!"

"I was!" he shouted back. "When I was eight! They started a war with me… and I'm going to finish it. I'll run the city and make sure that it doesn't happen again."

"I thought you were going to protect the city," Leni reminded.

"Leni," he shook his head, like he couldn't believe he had to explain this. "There's no such thing as superheroes. Only the dead get to be heroes. The rest of us… have to deal with this city and the sacks of sh-"

"Language," Leni interjected.

"You just don't get it, do you?!" he laughed at her again. "God, I can't see you as a student. Did you sleep, during history?"

"I try my hardest," she bit down. "At everything."

"Right, right…" he nodded. "Let's get back to the topic at hand. Your family."

"What do you want with them?"

"I want to know… who's the favorite?"

Leni just stared at him.

"…That's not how families-"

"Wrong!" He slammed the table. "There's always a favorite. Every functioning family has one. It's easier for me. It was just me and my mom, so I know it was me."

"That would change," Leni answered. "If she were here."

Meltdown frowned. Instead of answering it, he moved on.

"It was a little harder, figuring it out for you," he told her. "Through the…myriad of selfies you'd taken with your family."

Leni blinked. He looked her up? All her stuff can be looked up at any time, anywhere? She never thought it'd go to this extreme.

"And I think I figured it out," he continued. "It's not your parents. Not enough time in the day for all the little rugrats. Can't be the baby, either, because they don't trust you alone with her for too long. If I read that tangent you posted correctly."

Leni looked down, ashamed of herself. She typed that out when she was angry. She thought she deleted it.

"I thought maybe it was the Jimmy Neutron clone over there," he carried on, "But she experiments on all you constantly. It's actually kind of alarming.

"The twins are cute, but they're brats. The goth girl is forgettable, and the she-ape over there can't chill out to save her life.

"And those other two, the go-nowhere rocker and the comedian with the stupid jokes. They're so, _so_ desperate for attention, it practically a red flag for neglect.

"So, who does that leave for us, Leni?" Meltdown asked. When he got no answer, he answered for her. "That leaves one Lori, and one Lincoln, Loud."

They both looked over to the booth, where the two people in question sat staring at her in horror.

"Which is it, Leni?" Meltdown asked her. "Who's your favorite?"

"I…" she shook her head. "Families don't work like that! We all love and support each other equally!"

Meltdown just stared at her. He held up two fingers and stood up. The tips glowed orange.

"You better answer," he said, going over to Lori. "I can melt holes in steel, you know. No reason I can do it through someone's head."

"Meltdown," Leni pleaded. "Stop."

"Is it Lori?" he questioned. "Roommate, gal-pal, advice giver, and all around bossy personality?"

"TJ, that's enough!"

He moved over to the other side of the table.

"Or is it Lincoln?" he waved his deadly digits at the boy. "The caring younger brother who puts up with anything?"

Leni went to scream something, but the words died in her throat. The only thing that came out was a hoarse croak.

"We have a winner," Meltdown decided.

He yanked the boy out from the booth and Leni jumped from her chair. Lori stood with her.

"Ah-ah-ah," he held his fingers next to the boy's temple. "Careful now. Don't want to do anything you'll regret later."

Leni froze. She didn't know what to do. Lori had her hand on her arm. Lincoln's breathing was shallow, and his eyes flicked back and forth between Leni and Meltdown's hand.

"I didn't plan on killing anyone today," he mused. "but I can see it in your eyes. You're dead set on being a superhero. Well, you know that all those heroes have an element of tragedy to them, right? Something that motivates them? It can be anything from a disaster…

"To a death in the family," he finished.

"Please," Leni begged. "Please don't."

"This is what's going to happen-" Meltdown started to order.

It happened faster than Leni could process. Luna jumped from the edge of her seat, brandishing some silverware she must have swiped off the table. She jammed the fork into Meltdown's shoulder, making him cry out in pain. He let go of Lincoln, who ducked and scrambled away. Meltdown turned to Luna, his face contorted in rage and reaching out with flaming hands.

Leni lunged forward, using her super speed. She grabbed Meltdown's hands and pointed them upward, just as two streams of fire erupted and started lighting the ceiling ablaze.

Her family screamed and got up to move. Ink stood in the way.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Vibe check!" Lynn shouted as she smashed a chair into the villain's face.

Ink fell over, and Lori ushered most them out the front entrance.

Leni fought to keep Meltdown's arms in the air, while Luna scurried past with her with the twins in her arms.

"Hey!" Nox chased after her.

Leni, practicing the flips and maneuvers Lynn had taught her, threw Meltdown's body over herself, slamming him over Nox's body, and smashing a table in the process.

"Alright," Ink declared, nursing her head. "Screw the family! Just kill _her_ already!"

"I'm starting to agree," Meltdown muttered as he pulled himself off his comrade.

"I'm already down," Nox turned into the cloud and swarmed over Leni's face. "Suck on this!"

As Leni coughed and staggered away, she saw their leader shoot flames at her head. As she ducked away, the back wall was set ablaze.

Ink moved in closer, swiping at her with her black arms. With every movement, they left fading marks hanging, like she was staining the air itself for a few seconds. She clawed at Leni, one mark burning her arm, and barely zipping by her face.

Leni balled one of her fists, and threw a right cross into Ink's jaw. She stumbled away, cursing.

"She hits like a ton of bricks!" she complained.

Nox only got more persistent. More of his gases filled her lungs to the point where Leni couldn't breathe. She collapsed to her hands and knees. Tears blurred her vision, and… something else was making it hard to see.

"Choke her out, Nox," the fire starter ordered. "Make it hurt."

"Uh… Boss?"

"What?" Leni could here him step around. "Police? That's fine. We can handle them."

"Not that!" Ink exclaimed, "Look!"

Leni felt lighter. She couldn't take this for much longer.

"Oh," Metldown realized. "That is… spreading faster than I would've guessed."

Suddenly, the slamming of footsteps could be heard, followed by the hissing of a fire extinguisher.

"Get away from her!" Leni could here the voice of her brother.

"Oh come on!" Ink complained. "Forget this! I'm out!"

"Don't piss me off, kid!" Meltdown shouted. It was followed by more hissing.

Suddenly, Leni's lungs cleared, she sputtered and hacked on the ground, as Nox reformed in front of her.

"The hell's going on out- Whoah! Time to go!"

Leni was able to blink enough to see. Nox disappeared and smoke had filled the building. She could see a boy in an orange shirt stumbling towards her.

"Leni!" he knelt down, under the smoke. He coughed harshly. "We- We have to go!"

Leni nodded. She could barely breathe. She could barely move.

"Leni!" Lincoln pulled one of her arms over his shoulder. "Come on!"

She managed to get her feet under her and, leaning on her brother, stumbled throughout the restaurant. The wood creaked and groaned over them.

"Almost there," Lincoln reported. "Almost out-"

"Leni!"

The girl looked behind her.

"I'm not done with you!" Meltdown formed another fireball over his head. This one was the size of a yoga ball. He chucked it over his head, missing the two kids, but hitting to the already fragile roof above them.

Lincoln got behind Leni and shoved her with all his might. Leni fell back, hitting her head. She raised it up just in time to see the flaming debris fall…

On top of her brother.

"LINCOLN!"

Leni put her feet under her. She staggered over to the heat. The flames singed her hair, it blackened her gloves, but she pressed on, pushing against the support beam that collapsed. More debris fell on top of her, turning the task from difficult to impossible.

There was no way he survived. Leni failed.

Lincoln is…

He's dead.

She looked up at Meltdown, still standing where he was before. He appeared to be in shock.

Leni felt… cold.

With a rush of adrenaline, she flew over to Metldown, hooking her arms under his, and flying out of the newly formed hole in the roof. She looked down, seeing a single police car with her family surrounding it. Firetrucks were pulling in, and already had men scrambling to douse the flames. Paramedics were up the street.

Not that it mattered.

Leni looked around, and willed herself to fly as fast as possible. She didn't know which direction she was flying towards, but she didn't care.

She flew onwards anyways.


	13. Chapter 13

She dropped him into the snow.

He sputtered and shouted at the shock of sudden cold. She landed a couple feet away from him.

"Where are we?" Leni wondered aloud.

"How should I know?" Meltdown snapped at her. "You flew us here!"

Leni had flown over a lot of land. Some cities and a lot of trees flew by underneath them. Eventually they stopped here with line of trees suddenly halting before an open field of ice.

"Is this the north pole?" She guessed.

"No way," Meltdown shivered. "This is a frozen tundra. No plant life can grow beyond this point going north. How long were we flying?"

"I don't know." Leni answered. Then that tightness squeezed in her chest. She remembered why they flew together to begin with.

"You…" she worded out. "killed my brother."

Her voice didn't sound nearly as angry as she thought it would. The only thing she could think to feel was hurt.

"Yeah…" he nodded. "I'm sorry about that."

They stared out into the ice sky. The cold of the world chilling them to their cores.

"If you want to kill me," he offered. "I get it. I deserve it."

Leni didn't answer.

"I got so angry," he continued. "I don't know what I... Well, I _know_ what I'm angry at, I just. I messed up. I took it too far. And I don't even know if it's me or these powers."

Leni stared straight ahead next to him. The distant horizon acting as little more than a focal point.

"I think I hate myself," she confessed.

"Why is that?" TJ wondered. All his earlier energy was gone.

"I'm an idiot," she explained. "I get mixed up. I try to do good in school, but I get stuff wrong. Everyone talks behind my back. Even my sisters! Everyone thinks I'm retarded, or a slut, or both, and I just… can't win. Anywhere!

"Lincoln, though…" she dared to flicker a smile. "He's just… such a good boy. He spends time with me. He doesn't press me to see what's bothering me. He corrects me without making me feel… bad. He listens to me babble on about clothes and boys and… I like listening to him about his videogames and superheroes, and what he and Clyde did that day. I watched him grow up from the time I was six years old. Aside from Lori, he's my best friend."

Leni's smile faded.

"And he's gone."

…

"I'm sorry you hate yourself," TJ apologized. "You shouldn't. None of that is your fault. I'm sorry we couldn't have been friends."

Leni nodded.

"Before something else happens," TJ wondered. "I just want to know. Why are you so against… killing someone?"

Leni took a deep breath.

"Everyone is a baby," she answered.

"Sorry?"

"At some point in their lives, everyone on earth was a cute little baby," she explained. "They grew up either watching TV, or playing soccer, or running, or laughing, or swimming… They grow up, making choices. Sometimes they feel like they don't have a choice, but they do. I know it's sad, but I know there are people out there trying to reform the best they can. I know there are systems in place that can be corrected without killing someone."

"So… yeah," Leni kicked the snow at her shoe. "That's all I got."

TJ nodded. He wiped his nose.

"So, what happens now?" he asked.

Leni took a breath.

"I can't have you running around my city anymore," she declared. "And I can't take you to jail, because your really, really smart."

He didn't deny this. He just stood there, with a lowered head.

"So you're leaving me out here?" he asked.

"Yes."

"You know I'm a city kid, right?" he informed her. "Never spent one day out in the woods before. And you're leaving me out here? In the Canadian wilds?"

"You'll survive," Leni assured him. "If you really want to."

He huffed and shook his head.

"And TJ?"

He looked at her.

"If I ever see you again," she promised. "I'll drop you."

He didn't answer. He just watched as wind whipped around her head. She left the ground and shot straight up into the sky. A second later, thunder rang through the sky, signaling that he was alone in the wilderness. Alone in the woods, with a silly costume.

* * *

Lori drove throughout the city. Her head on a swivel. She should be home, watching her sisters, but this took a new precedent.

It had been three days, and no one had seen Leni.

They checked the mall, the house, the restaurant. Lori had just got done breaking and entering her old high school just to check the rooms.

She swore under her breath.

"Come on, Leni," she muttered to herself. "Where are you?"

Luna had filled her in on the details, at least the stuff Lori couldn't piece together already. Leni always did love making those costumes, and she was always such a sweet person.

She has to be in so much pain.

The phone doesn't even ring when they call her. And, normally, everyone would be out looking for her. But this freak storm blew in not too long ago. The winds themselves were rocking the cars parked on the street. Vanzilla was in danger of tipping over the more she drove it.

Everyone in the city had taken shelter, following the news' warnings. A storm like this, so far inland? It wasn't possible.

Then again, there are super people running around, now.

As Lori tried and tried to spot anyone who could even point to her sister, she spotted someone. At the corner of the block, a blond girl with a trench coat was standing against the wind and rain. Her hair whipped wildly around her head.

Is that her? It might be. She was facing away from the van, so Lori couldn't see her face. She was hunched over too, like she was trying to stay warm.

She had to try. She threw the van in park and opened the door. A stupid idea in the city, but no one else was around.

Rain pelted her immediately as she stepped out, soaking her instantly.

"Hey!" she called out over the storm. "Are you okay?!"

The girl didn't respond, so Lori stepped closer.

"Leni?" she called out. She grabbed the girl's shoulder and spun her around.

"Wrong girl, wrong neighborhood!" The teen pulled up a knife with a giggle.

Lori let go and stepped back. Only to feel a pair of massive hands grab her and shove her into the alley.

She fell into a puddle, soaking what little bit of her wasn't already wet from the rain. She looked up and saw herself surrounded by women brandishing knives or pipes or other makeshift weapons. Under whatever raincoats they had, they wore trashy pink and black clothes.

Lori remembered hearing about these girls. Hellion Angels. They were muggers and harassers. Whatever they did to women though, guys got off so much worse. Things like mutilation being reported on the news.

The one who grabbed her was a tall woman with a wicked grin.

"Search her," she ordered. "I want to see everything she has."

Lori shrieked for help, but she knew it was fruitless. No one was out here, no one was-

The rain parted, and the sun started shining down. When Lori looked up, she saw that a circle had opened up in the clouds above, like the eye in a hurricane.

A shrieking sound pierced her ears, and as everyone stopped to hold their ears, Lori saw her chance to escape!

She dove forward, pushing past the little girl and her mammoth friend and rushing out of the alley.

"Hey!"

She ran to the van. Running with everything she had in her.

They caught her anyway.

As the big one grabbed her, and she started kicking and flailing, another high pitched screeching echoed through the air.

"What the hell is-"

The girl never finished, as she was pummeled by a blur.

"Did you see that?"

"It got Ashley!"

"She's back! That super girl is-"

_Thwack!_

She fell over as a piece of two-by-four was broken in half over her head. The girl who did it dropped the remaining splinters and drifted closer.

Everyone froze in horror at Leni's appearance. When Lori last saw her, her costume was in perfect condition. Now it was filled with holes. The gloves were singed and had black scorch marks. The cape was ripped in half up the middle, a small amount of cloth left keeping it together. Her domino mask was missing. Her ponytail had come undone and being perpetually held up by constant wind.

But that wasn't what scared Lori. It was how her skin lacked any sort of color, or pigment. Her eyes were black, leaving only a greenish-blue dot where her pupils should be. And her jaw looked unhinged, hanging open.

She looked like a monster.

She attacked first, grabbing the girl with the knife and flinging her against the wall, letting her fall the ten feet to the pavement. She groaned and didn't get back up. Leni swiped her arm at another girl, causing her head to hit the pavement with a hard thud.

The last girl, the one grabbing Lori, let her victim go and backed away.

"I give up," she surrendered. "I give! I'll go to jail now, no complaints. Please."

Leni drifted towards her. Her face betrayed nothing.

"Wait, what are you doing? I surrendered already! That's how this works, right!? Please, don't hurt me, I won't do it again, I promise!"

Lori watched as Leni grabbed her by her shirt and hefted her into the air. She slammed her onto the hood of a car, crumbling the roof of it and shattering the windows.

"Leni!" Lori called out.

The thing floating in the air turned to her, ignoring the others running off. She drifted down in front of her. Lori looked at her, and she looked back at Lori. Two dots in a black void searching for recognition.

"I was so worried about you," Lori hugged her sister. She was shaking in her arms. Lori might have been shaking too. "We're all so worried."

"Linc…oln…" she rasped in her ear.

"I know," she answered. "But I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"Can't… go back… because… Linc… oln…"

Lori tried to decipher what she might be thinking. All the while, she tried to reassure her.

"Leni," Lori told her. "What happened to Lincoln isn't your fault."

She _screamed_. It was an unholy noise that Lori had never heard before. Wind whipped around them. With her arm still hooked around her sister's neck, Lori pressed her palms against her ears as windows shattered around her.

Something's wrong. This isn't just guilt, this is _loathing_. She wouldn't be acting like this unless…

"Leni!" she tried desperately to calm her down. "Leni! Lincoln is still alive!"

With that, the cries stopped. Lori tentatively pulled back, hands still on the girl's shoulders in a death grip.

"He's in the hospital," she further explained. "He got… really hurt, and it was a close call, but the doctors said he's going to pull through. He's going to be alright."

As Lori watched, Leni's mouth closed, her jaw no longer looking unhinged. She just stared at the older girl, awaiting more.

"We're going to go home first," Lori told her. "Then we can see him. Okay?"

Leni stared at her, giving no answer. Though she offered no resistance.

Lori ushered her into the car, even putting on the seatbelt for her. As she walked around to the other side, she shot a text to Luna. She instructed her to get the kids upstairs by the time she got home. She shot another text to her parents, who were at the hospital with Lincoln.

"Okay," Lori breathed as she sat behind the wheel. "Let's go home."

Lori had to back up to avoid running over any of the unconscious bodies in the street. The rest of the ride home was ridden in silence. Lori kept one eye on the road, and the other on her sister. Her lips were still parted, and she was just mindlessly staring out the window. Color seemed to be returning to her skin, however slowly. Even with so much of her thoughts occupied, it didn't escape her notice that the storm started clearing up too. It even stopped raining.

They drove into their driveway and Lori hurried out to the passenger's side. She walked Leni through the front door of the house.

It was still quiet, and Luna just stepped down the stairs. She looked like she'd been crying.

_Who am I kidding?_ Lori thought to herself. _We've all been crying_.

Lori, with Luna's help, set Leni down on the couch. She just stared ahead. Her eyes changed back to normal when Lori wasn't looking.

"She's pale," Luna noted. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know," Lori said, "I think she's in shock."

"Leni?" Luna knelt down next to her. "You okay?"

Leni didn't acknowledge her presence. She just stared straight ahead.

"Leni," Lori tried, "Are you hungry?"

She nodded. The first response she's given since Lori brought her back. Lori took it as a good sign.

"Okay," Lori sighed with relief. "Let's get something to eat, okay?"

The two sisters got on Leni's sides and hefted her up, escorting her to the dining room. They sat with her as she timidly ate some reheated leftover meatloaf. As she took each bite, the next bite became more and more enthusiastic. The plate was practically licked clean. Apparently that wasn't enough, she got up after eating that (much to the shock of her sisters), and devoured the leftover lasagna they had stored away.

They managed to convince her to go up to her room and change into some regular clothes. That much she did by herself.

"She's getting some autonomy back," Lori reported in a whisper when Luna opened the door. "That's good. I think."

Luna nodded.

"Should we go with you? To see Lincoln?"

"I don't know," Lori answered, "Maybe. Let Leni rest a bit first, okay?"

She didn't argue. She just bit her lip. "Just let me see her, okay?"

She let Luna enter and the girl went to hug her sister. Leni, now dressed in her regular garments, reciprocated, but her face was blank.

* * *

It was a couple of hours later, but Leni and the Loud crowd were packed into Vanzilla. Leni sat in the front passenger side, with all her younger siblings sitting in silence behind her.

Leni didn't have a concept of what was happening around her. She could barely remember her own name.

"Hey," Luna suddenly leaned up in the front seat. "You forgot these."

Leni took the object she offered. Her favorite pair of shades. White rimmed, black lenses. She hadn't worn these in... it must have been months.

"Thanks, Luna," Leni uttered

The ride was ridden in silence. Leni didn't comb her hair, and her dress was wrinkled to smithereens. She used to take such pride in how she looked. Now she just looked like a mess.

The crowd slowly and solemnly exited the van on admittance to the hospital. They navigated the hallways and elevators to a numbered room. Lori entered first, with Leni as her shadow.

The room was dark, with curtains drawn. There was a rhythmic beeping that echoed in the recesses of the girl's brain. Her parents were sitting on the back bench together, and raised their weary heads as their children entered.

Leni's father smiled warily, but her mother's face couldn't be read at the moment. They seemed hesitant to get up, but they did. They each got on Leni's sides and hugged her tightly.

"Hey, kiddo," her dad spoke softly. "We were worried about you."

"Sorry," Leni apologized, keeping her voice at the same level. "I was… upset."

He nodded. They both seemed to look at Rita. She still looked unsure, but stroked her daughter's face, all the same.

"I'm glad you're safe, honey," she sounded close to breaking down any minute. Leni would have joined her.

She grabbed Leni's hand, leading her deeper into the room.

Here she saw Lincoln for the first time since… that day.

He was asleep, his bed propped up on a raised bed. His clothes had been exchanged with a hospital gown. Bandages plagued his forehead and arms. Leni could see hints of scarred tissue underneath them.

She dared to step closer, and as though he was responding to her presence, one of his eyes opened.

He sucked in a bunch of air and yawned, stretching his arms above his head.

"Hey, Leni," he broke into a smile. The look broke her heart.

"Hey," Leni gulped some air. "Linky."

He smiled wider. "You okay?" he asked her.

Leni almost broke down all over again. Another tear ran down her face.

"I'm… supposed to ask you that," she laughed out, sounding a bit hysterical. "I just… I thought I lost you."

She cringed as she glanced at the crowd behind her. "I thought _we_ lost you…"

Lincoln nodded, his smile fading.

"It's kind of hazy," he answered. "I _think_ what happened was… the roof fell on me… but I propped up the fire extinguisher. I think that caught some of it from falling on top of me. Or I just… got really lucky."

He huffed out a breath, taking in more air to speak. This was draining him.

"Still got my legs pinned," he explained. He raised his bandaged arms up, "Still got cooked a little, too."

He shifted on the bed, looking down at himself. He reached out with his arms, pulling the blanket over his legs, until he exposed one.

It was completely in a cast.

"I got messed up," he told her. "Kind of bad."

Leni pulled the blankets back all the way, seeing both his legs in a cast.

"We're looking at a wheelchair for a little while," he then said. "Because the beam hit my lower back. But a little after that, I'll be doing physical therapy. But that's only like a year away. I'll be up and running in no time."

Leni was speechless. She looked at her brother in absolute horror. Her mind started spiraling down to hopelessness and oblivion.

"Leni," Lincoln called to her. "_Leni_."

He grabbed her hand, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"This," he told her. "It was _my choice_. Just like what you told me. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'd rather have you around than some dumb-ole-legs."

"I-" Leni stammered. "I…"

"It's. Not. Your. Fault." He insisted.

"Lincoln…"

Leni, unable to take it any longer, leaned over the boy and wrapped her arms around him. She gave him a gentle squeeze, trying not to cry; and failing.

"You saved me," she gave a hard sniff. "You're my hero. You know that, right?"

Lincoln only hugged back, not answering, but sniffling too.

"Ah," he wiped his face, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, guys, but I think I'm a little tired, already. I need to sleep a little bit."

"Okay, honey," Rita suddenly stepped in. Her voice had the air of control, like she was giving orders under the guise of sweet suggestions. "You rest up. We'll be right outside, okay?"

He nodded. He lied back down, with a content smile on his face. Within moments, he drifted off to sleep.

Leni was led out of the room. Her sisters, under the orders of her parents and eldest sister, were escorted to a waiting room-esque corner of the hallway. Leni was dragged to the opposite end.

"I want to know," Rita demanded, almost with a snarl. "I want to know everything."

Leni shivered under her cold gaze. Lori stood with her, a hand on her shoulder. When Leni opened her mouth, she spilled everything. From the day that weird reactor exploded, to when she told her siblings.

"You brought your _younger sisters_ into this?!"

"Mom!" Lori held her hand up.

"Honey," Lynn placed his arms around her shoulders. "Let her finish."

Leni gulped, continuing. She told them how she had listened to a news broadcast, and how it gave her the idea to help people. Even if it was anonymously.

"I've been doing a lot of good, Mom," Leni explained. "villains like Crusher, Dream Queen… I put them away. I kept them from hurting anyone else."

"Why couldn't you have just told us?" Rita scolded her daughter. "Why did you lie to us?"

"Because I…" She gripped her fists at her sides. "I wanted to feel…"

She choked on the words.

"Well?" Rita waved at her. "What is it? You wanted to feel what?"

"Mom…" Lori was warning her mom to back off.

Leni, though, had lost her temper.

"I wanted to feel like an actual person!" she screamed at her. "I wanted to stop being seen as some idiot you have to take care of! At least as… this other person… with this mask! I'm seen as an actual human being! With this power, I can do whatever the hell I want! Is that the answer you want to hear, Mom!?"

The three adults stood in silence around the girl. She was heaving, and leaning against the wall. She leaned back against it, fresher tears streaming down her face, and sliding down to the floor.

"I just…" Leni sobbed. "I wanted… to like… me…"

She sobbed into her knees. She heard Luna running up to them, even without the super hearing.

"Don't take this out on Leni!" Luna begged their parents. "This isn't on her, dudes. She'd been carrying this inside for a looong while. It's been eating away at her all this time and… This is on me. Leni, I said those awful things and… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The musician collapsed to her knees next to the girl and hugged her.

"You're not an idiot, Leni. You're so much more than that," Luna continued. "That's the truth. The _actual_ truth."

Leni hugged her back. All the while, Lori got down next to them and started rubbing her roommate's back.

A few moments of silence passed. Rita seemed like she was still making up her mind.

"I don't know about this… superhero business you've started for yourself, Leni," she stated. "But it's clear that your father and I's parenting policy might have been too lenient on you kids."

"We didn't mean to leave you with feelings like this, sweetie," Lynn Sr added. "We wanted to respect your privacy, while giving you some freedom to make decisions yourself. I mean, we never thought it'd make superheroes, but…"

"I think we still need to talk this out for ourselves," Rita suggested. "Why don't you go wait with your sisters?"

Leni scraped herself up and obeyed. She walked over to her sisters, who cleared off a seat for her, and sat with them around her.

"Did you kill him?"

Leni looked up at Lana. One of the most innocent among them. She didn't look angry, or hopeful, just mildly curious.

"Lana," Lori warned her off. "That's not-"

"No," Leni answered. "I didn't... I made sure he won't bother us anymore."

The girls processed the information. Perhaps they themselves were wondering if the words had some hidden meaning. Or maybe if they were wondering if they would've done the same thing Leni had.

"So..." Lori wondered. "What happens now?"

"I think," Lisa interrupted, "As a scientist, with everything going on around us at the moment. I can say: Bunk this. Let's take a day to rejuvenate ourselves and feel gratified that we all still draw breath."

"I agree with the nerd," Lynn raised her hand to cast her vote.

Everyone more or less agreed.

Leni sat there, in a lobby, with most of her siblings. Her brother was going to be crippled for a while. And her parents were discussing what to do with her down the hall over there.

For now, that would have to be enough.


	14. Chapter 14

The two men walked down a regal hall in silence. While no words were immediately spoken, the heaviness in the air between the two could be cut with a knife. It was only when they were out of earshot of any passers by that words were exchanged.

"He's an idiot," the general noted.

The senator walking with him gave no comment.

"Enemy territory grows on _our_ shores," he carried on. "and he's more concerned with…"

He gave a disgusted noise.

"The people, General," the politician straightened his tie. "He's concerned for the people."

"Bleeding hearts," the military man swore. "They'll destroy this country. Now we got a whole generation of bleeding hearts. These things need to be contained."

"General," the other man sighed. "You were brought on as a consultant for the possible threat these enhanced individuals cause." He held up the papers as proof. "Not only have you blown your own information out of proportion, you've proven yourself a biased and unreliable source of information."

"Says the politician."

"True enough. But _you_ got caught," he pointed out. "And I happen to agree with the decision. The casualties aren't nearly what we projected. Certainly not to the projected casualties a military occupation would bring. And we seem to have our own little angel in our corner."

"Then you're an idiot, too."

"Perhaps," the man mused. He then gestured to himself. "But as long as this idiot is around, your troops won't march on Michigan soil."

He walked away, leaving the General fuming in the pristine hall.

"Oh, and General Law?"

The older man glared at him, now a sizeable distance away.

"I've made the right friends," the senator informed him. "I'll know if and when you move so much as a paperclip in my state."

With that, the man disappeared around the corner. The General had nothing to say. The only thing going through his mind…

Was a misguided sense of duty.

* * *

Superman saw the bomb with the ticking timer. With no time to spare, he flew Lois Lane out of Clark Kent's apartment as the bomb detonated.

Leni looked on, as the hero then fetched a water tank on top of the building. Effortlessly, he carried it on his shoulder and punched a hole in it to disperse the water onto the flaming debris.

The scene only caused her to look at her own hand.

"Kind of wish I was that strong," Leni thought out loud.

"You're fine," Lincoln waved off, his eyes only briefly turning away from the cartoon. "I love this episode. Turns out the detective was behind the whole thing."

"Spoilers," Luan jokingly complained. The whole family was seated around the TV, some looking more bored than others.

"Aw," Leni frowned. "That's sad. Police are supposed to be the good guys."

Lincoln glanced at her, sighing through his nose.

"Everyone's a good guy, Leni," he answered. "Or, at least everyone thinks they are."

They resumed their viewing in silence. Their family set up the hospital room's television with Lincoln's collection of superhero cartoons. Lincoln was a lot more aware, but still confined to the bed. Leni stuck close to her brother, while the rest of her family swapped in and out of the room. Her parents usually stuck close by, only occasionally leaving the room to stretch their legs or get something for everyone to eat. From what Leni gathered, her dad had gone with the "crazed arsonist" story for his restaurant. Leni didn't know how to feel about lying about what happened, but she didn't protest.

For the most part, the whole family sat sprawled out around the room, watching cartoons with their brother. The nurses that checked in always looked so surprised, seeing so many people in such a small room.

Lori stuck close by her roommate, seldom leaving Leni out of her sight. It took Leni a while to really notice what was off about Lori, but it eventually occurred to her. Lori hadn't even looked at her phone for the past two days. If she had it on her at all, she used it in the other room. Lori told Bobby almost nothing, keeping to some bare essentials, but she hadn't texted him all day. At least, as far as Leni could see.

"Leni," Luna called from the door. "He's here."

The girl took a breath and nodded. She got up from her chair, a little sore from sitting for so long, and made her way to the door. Lori followed her out, with Luna trailing her, and then she was swiftly trailed by her parents.

"Nothing too violent," Rita warned her children as she exited the door. She pointed a finger at her son. "Lincoln."

When the girl stepped outside the room, she was met by Officer Hobbs himself. Leni realized this was technically the first time they were meeting. No masks, no banter… no games.

She took a breath and outstretched her hand.

"Officer," she shook his hand. "I'm Leni Loud."

"I gathered," he nodded. "You have a lot of people in your corner, Miss Loud."

Leni looked down. She smiled, but felt conflicted by the statement. Her secret may very well have turned her parents against her, and crippled her brother. She didn't know what he meant by "corner," but she figured she was lucky to have one at all.

"Let's sit," Hobbs suggested. "And we can all hash this out."

They made their way downstairs, going over to a far corner of the café area. The few other people in here were dispersed away from them; unknowingly giving the group a modicum of privacy.

Leni sat down across from the detective. Luna and Lori sat down on either side of her, shoulder to shoulder with the girl like they were bodyguards. Her parents sat perpendicular to the ends of the table, facing outward to the rest of the café.

"Alright," Hobbs sighed. "Miss Loud. Or, do you prefer Leni?"

"Leni is fine."

"Good. Okay," he sighed again. "Let's start with what happened a few days ago. At your dad's restaurant."

Leni nodded. She had little to no recollection after leaving Meltdown in the snow. She took a minute before answering.

"They-"

Luna jumped in. "It's not her fault, dude! Meltdown and his gang were holding us hostage!"

"Luna," Lori interjected.

"Luna, honey-" Lynn Sr. tried to help.

"None of that would have happened if they hadn't-"

"Luna!" Lori called again. "Shut. Up!"

Luna quieted down, looking over at her elder sisters. Leni had lowered her head, like she had taken a verbal lashing. Luna shied away.

"…Sorry."

Leni took a moment to catch her breath. She weakly patted Luna's shoulder.

"It's okay," the girl continued. "There were three bad guys. Ink. Noxious. And Meltdown."

She looked down at the table before looking back up and speaking again.

"I.. don't know where they are now," she answered honestly.

"Hmm." Hobbs wrote something down. "So, you went in to help your family, is that right?"

"Yes," Leni nodded.

"By yourself."

"Yes," Leni agreed.

Hobbs stared at her for a moment. His face gave no hints as to what he was thinking.

"You could have called for help," he told her. "Like we agreed."

"I…" Leni lowered her head. "I was scared."

"Of what, exactly?"

"…Meltdown," she said. "He was holding my family hostage. I thought if he saw police, he would…"

She couldn't finish the sentence. Instead she bit her lip and lowered her head. All the while, she could feel the burning gaze her parents, her mother in particular, boring a hole through her head.

Hobbs nodded like he understood.

"So… This Meltdown character. Where's he now?" he asked.

Leni gulped. She opened her mouth, but it was Lori who spoke.

"He escaped," she answered. "With the others."

Leni looked at her older sister. Disbelief leaving her mouth agape.

Lori flicked her eyes to her sister before restating it.

"He escaped." She repeated. "Saw it with my own eyes."

Leni looked at Hobbs, who gave a unmoving look back. Leni wasn't sure, but she could swear that he was there with her family as she was flying out. If Lori saw anything, wouldn't she say something, right away? Wouldn't he have reported it to the other officers on the way?

"Well," he answered her, never breaking eye contact with Leni. "_If_ he shows up again, we will have to coordinate our efforts, and bring him in. Right?"

Leni didn't answer right away. She didn't understand what was happening.

"But I-"

Lori and Luna elbowed her sides under the table simultaneously, eliciting a shocked gasp from the middle girl.

"Er, right," Leni decided to just go with it.

Leni looked to her parents, who looked back and forth between the exchange.

"I assume your parents know?" Hobbs asked the three children.

Leni nodded. "They do now."

"Right," Hobbs sighed.

"I'm sorry," Rita interrupted. "You _knew_ our daughter was out doing these dangerous things, and you didn't _stop_ her?"

"No ma'am," Hobbs denied. "I had no idea who she was. I discouraged her from going out there and told her to go back home every chance I got.

"However," he continued, "Despite my best efforts; your daughter has saved more people than I can count."

A few seconds passed, before Hobbs resumed.

"Every. Day. I got people coming in and calling me, telling me all about how a nice young lady stopped a mugging. Or pulled a cat out of a tree. Or evacuated an entire building on fire. It is absolutely _ridiculous _how much paperwork I still have to do. She took impossible situations and made them manageable, with little to zero causalities. Your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Loud, is one of the bravest people I've had the pleasure of meeting. She's a good, noble person. Foolhardy, but good and noble, nonetheless."

He turned back to Leni.

"And you," he pointed, "Missy. You are going to bother me every time you have a problem. Whether you like it or not. And I will get to you when I can."

He sat back in his chair and took a breath.

"My father was a Marine," he told them. "He was my hero. He raised me and my brother all by himself, after two tours and after my mom passed. There was nothing he couldn't fix. I talked to him about cars, girls, school, life. He always made time for us; didn't matter how bad a day it was. The man could damn near do it all."

He paused, looking down for a moment. "And then he died."

Leni felt a jolt run up her sides. On instinct, she said, "I'm sorry."

"The man could do anything," he finished. "Except ask for help."

He looked back up at Leni.

"I'm going to tell you right now, Leni," he warned her. "The worst thing you can do when you're in deep trouble, is try to do it all yourself."

Leni didn't answer. She just let the message sink in.

"…My brother," she choked out. "His… He got hurt… helping me."

"I'm sorry," Hobbs returned. "But I hope that, working together, we can prevent something like that from happening again."

He turned to Leni's parents. "If Mom and Dad are okay with that," he prompted.

Rita bit her lip, while her husband kept his arm across her shoulders. The silence was deafening across the table.

"I'm…" she finally spoke. "I'm not thrilled with this decision. I always worried about what's lurking in the city, and now it just looks more and more dangerous."

She looked up at her daughters. Her lip quivered before she took a breath to speak again.

"But you girls have grown up so much," she wiped her eyes. "And I can't force any of you to do anything you don't want to do. I just… have to trust that your father and I have done our jobs. We'll help you with anything we can, honey. And I'm sorry you faced so much already without telling us. I don't want to miss anything else."

Leni gave an ugly sniff, tears streaming from her own eyes.

A shakily spoken "Thank you," was all she could manage.

* * *

Later in the day, as it got late, the kids started getting weary and the topic of overnight stays were brought up.

"Is Lincoln going to stay here by himself?" Lola unabashedly asked her parents.

Leni shivered before her parents could answer. That pressure in her chest reemerged.

"No, sweetie," Rita answered, cleaning up their trash and gathering her purse. "Daddy's going to stay here with Lincoln tonight."

"Oh," Lola looked down.

"…And me," Leni suddenly added.

"Leni," Rita forewarned. "You don't have to stay, honey. Just come home with us. We can come back tomorrow."

Leni took a breath. "No," she decided. "I'm staying here."

The parents looked to each other, and gave a collective sigh.

"Okay," Rita agreed. "But it's not very comfortable, honey. You can't share the bed with Lincoln, you know."

Leni blushed, having no intention to. "I knew that," she muttered.

She looked at her dad, who just gave an apologetic half smile. If the only thing he had to sleep in were these hard chairs, then she felt somewhat more inclined to stay. She wouldn't enjoy it, but she would stay.

Goodnights were exchanged, and everyone made it a point to give Lincoln a kiss on his forehead, much to his feigned dismay. All her sisters gave Leni a hug, which she welcomed gratefully one by one. Time passed, some shoddy (but edible) meals were had, and night paved the way for their slumber.

Except Leni couldn't let her consciousness go. There was something happening in this building. She couldn't place her finger on it, but-

There. That noise. She couldn't identify it, but it was definitely close by. It was the middle of the night, her father completely hunched over in his chair. Lincoln snored peacefully on the bed.

She got up and walked around the bed Lincoln slept in. There was an urgency in the mysterious noise. Whatever was going on, it demanded her attention.

"Leni?"

The girl looked over to the bed, seeing Lincoln stir from sleep.

"Where are you going?" he rubbed his eyes.

Leni looked over to her dad, totally passed out. Bless the man's heart, he's such a heavy sleeper.

She moved over to her brother, standing next to his bed.

"I'm just… going to stretch my legs, a little," Leni answered. It was a lie, but not a lie.

Lincoln looked at her, clearly not buying it, but not angry with her either.

"Hold on," he reached behind him, leaning over and swiping something off the table. He opened his hand up to her when he returned to his seat. "Use this."

"An earpiece?" Leni questioned. "I thought I lost this. With my mask."

"Lisa had a few spares," Lincoln explained with a smile. "She… wanted to help."

Leni nodded, placing the device in her ear. Afterwards, she leaned in and planted a kiss on the side of his face.

"I'll be right back," Leni promised.

She exited the room, drifting through the halls like a ghost. The toes of her boots were grazing the tiles.

She made her way downstairs, tracking the noise like a hunter. Most of the staff had gone home, but surely there was an overnight crew, right?

"Leni?" Lincoln whispered in her ear. "What do you see?"

"The floor is empty," she answered. "I don't see any nurses."

Lincoln was silent for a moment.

"Didn't…" he pieced together. "Didn't Hobbs say that Spider had to go to the hospital?"

Leni felt a chill creep up her spine. What were the odds? How many hospitals could there possibly be in one blessed city?!

"He better not be in this one," Leni tightened her fists.

"Easy, Leni," Lincoln warned her. "He might be really sick. And he doesn't know we're here. We can just leave him."

Just as he said it, the noise perpetrated her ears again. It was a moan. It was a cry for help.

"Did you hear that?" Leni's breathing hitched.

"No," Lincoln answered straight. "What is it?"

"I think he's…" Leni paused. "He's hurt. He's hurt and in a lot of pain."

"…" Lincoln took his time answering.

"Leni," he finally said. "I think we should leave him."

"I can't do that, Linky."

"Why not?" he asked, sounding more concerned than outraged.

"Because… It wouldn't be right," she decided. "He's alone on this floor. I just need to check on him."

Lincoln didn't answer. Finally, he sighed.

"Just… just be careful, Leni."

Leni drifted over to the door and turned the handle. She cracked the door, listening to see if she'd been detected, though not sure what she would do if she were.

The groaning never stopped. The person in question never noted her presence. Leni, feeling bolder, stepped inside and into view of the patient.

She wanted to scream. Her shoulders bunched up and a scrunched up, disturbed look emerged on her face. Spider was just like the day they met, only he was lying back on the bed, hooked up to several machines around the room. He was shirtless, still covered in hair like a tarantula. His wrists were bound to the bed with leather straps. The spider legs across his back were held out around him, elevated in individual slings around them room. Spider himself was heaving on the bed, spouting out different words that Leni had no context for.

"Mamá," he shakily called out, "Lo siento mamá. Nunca quise…"

He let out a guttural cry, Leni felt it reverberate against her ribcage.

"Lincoln," Leni whispered to her brother. "What's happening to him?"

Lincoln took his time answering. He wasn't the resident science guy, but he'd give it his best shot.

"Well," he tried. "Humans and spiders are pretty different, all things considered. I mean, anatomy speaking. So… I guess if you try to force the two tracks of DNA together… It all starts coming undone."

Leni blinked, her head tilting. Lincoln couldn't see it, but he took the silence as what it was.

"He might be dying," he explained further, "and his powers might what's killing him."

"Ayuda…!" Spider called out again. "Somebody help me! I'm burning up in here!"

He hadn't opened up his eyes. He hadn't even realized she was in the room.

She had to help him. She moved without thinking. There was a rag on a table, grabbing it and stepping into the restroom, she ran it under the water and…

She shuddered, before walking past the spider legs to his bedside. She placed the damp clothe against his forehead.

He instantly calmed down, relaxing under her hand.

"Ah…" he breathed out. "Gracias…"

That much Leni did understand.

"You're welcome," she smiled down at him.

The boy opened his eyes, but his red eyes glazed right over her face.

"Who are you?" he switched to English.

"I'm here to help."

He didn't answer. He just looked up at the ceiling.

"I tried… to kill you," he noted.

"You did try," Leni remembered.

"But you're helping me."

"Yes," Leni agreed.

"…" he shifted in his seat. "Why?"

Leni sighed.

"I don't think anyone should have to suffer," she answered. "Or die. I know they do anyway. But I want to help people… not do that… if I can."

He didn't answer. The two just sat there for a long while. In the shadows of the room, with little to no light available, they couldn't even see each other's face.

"Doctor's say… I'm dying soon," he confessed. "I don't know if…"

He didn't finish the thought.

"Could you…" he requested. "Could you stay with me… just for tonight? I don't…"

He started to break down, Leni could just make out the tears under his eyes.

"Shh…" she shushed him. "It's okay. I'm here. I'll stay here with you."

"I don't…" he sobbed. "I don't want to be alone… anymore…."

Leni pulled a chair she had kicked earlier closer to her. She sat down by his bedside.

"I'm not going anywhere." She promised him.

* * *

The General marched down the halls, only having one destination on his mind. In his mind, he was backed into a corner. There was no alternative. These freaks could destroy everything America stands for.

And he would die before he let that happen.

But he had other resources to sacrifice.

He approached the cell with the prisoner. It was one of the only convicts they had from the Event in Royal City.

The man in question sat in a far corner of the cell, draped in shadows.

"General Law," he greeted him. "You'll forgive me if I don't salute."

"Save it, son," he dismissed. "Your country has need of you."

"My country…" the creature mocked. "Remind me which one that is?"

"Royal City is a growing fire that needs to be contained," the General explained. "I can't mobilize my men without probable cause. And you're going to go get it for me."

"How do you mean… General?"

"I mean that you're a mad dog," he told him. "A wild animal to be let off his leash, but not out of sight. You leave Royal City, and my man with a rifle will put you down. You fulfill your duty, and we can accommodate some… new arrangements."

The creature threw his head back and laughed. His hardy bellowing could be heard throughout the complex.

"Do we have an agreement?" the General asked, once the man had calmed down.

The creature stood and approached the bars. His face bore a wide grin.

"We do indeed," he licked his chops. "General Law."


	15. Chapter 15

"Hey Lame-o."

Lincoln broke out into a grin. "Hey!"

Bobby and Ronnie Anne walked into the room. Lori stepped up, hugging Bobby as tightly as she could, and Ronnie Anne went right up to the bed.

"Thought you died, tough guy," she grabbed the boy's hand.

"I did," Lincoln told her, "I got better."

Leni watched all this with a smile on her face. Things were starting to look up, now. Ronnie was putting up such a brave face, and Bobby stood behind her.

"How're you doing, little buddy?"

"Better," Lincoln answered the college freshman. "Little by little."

"Sid says Hi," Ronnie added. "And where the heck Clyde?"

"Still at his Grandma's," Lincoln sighed. "Coming back to the city is still... 'Not optional' right now. I mean, I can't blame his parents, but..."

"That sucks," Ronnie commented. "He owes you a burger. Although, sense you're stuck here..."

Leni got up while Ronnie pulled some comic books out of her bag. The two kids caught up on recent events while Leni went over to Bobby.

"How've you been, Leni?" Bobby greeted the girl.

"Oh, good, good..." Leni smiled back. Some part of her brain remembered that they're not in the loop. "This is all just, like... so crazy."

"I believe you," he nodded. He looked over her shoulder to Lori, and their parents. "Mom wanted to offer... If things get too bad, we have some extra rooms in the building. They'd be cramped- like, seriously cramped- but its away from here and... all this."

"That's so kind of you, Bobby," Rita smiled.

"We'll consider it," Lynn Sr. added. "But things haven't gotten that bad yet."

"Hey," Ronnie Anne uttered. "What's that on the…"

The room turned their eyes to the television. A news report captured the chaos on screen, and the blond girl's eyes went wide with horror.

A monster had lifted a car over his head, slamming it into the road, nose first. It turned and roared at the cameraman. The camera scrambled away in its panic, but the details were captured anyway. Clear as day, the man must have been ten feet tall. He was bulging with muscles, wearing a tank top and pants that looked close to ripping at any minute. He looked like an animal, with claws, and golden fur. A mane of hair wrapped around his head and face; a maw full of bared fangs snarled at everything. Yellow eyes that gave an evil golden glow to everything under its gaze.

A horrific beast.

"Leni."

The older girl had grabbed her roommate's arm.

"Go."

Leni's hand went to her chest.

"The costume-" she caught herself, and glanced at their visitors. "It's torn to shreds."

"I fixed it," Lori promised. She turned and pulled up a small bag she had brought in. It never occurred to Leni what it was when she saw it.

"I'm nowhere near as good as you are, but I can do a _little_ stitching."

Leni took the bag, but hesitated. She looked at everyone in the room. Her little sisters. Her little brother. Lori. Her parents. They all gave a smile, and an approving nod.

"Spoilin' for a Fight," Luna patted her back. She kept her volume low. "Go give it to him."

"Right," Leni agreed.

She went over and planted a kiss on her brother's cheek.

"Be right back," she promised. She made her way out the door.

"What is happening right now?" Ronnie Anne blurted out.

Leni didn't hear what the answer was. She dashed down to ground level, stopping in the restroom along the way to change, and was out the door and down the street before anyone could perceive what she was.

But she knew.

She appeared in the middle of the street, standing across from the monster. He stood on top of a pile of destroyed cars like it was a throne.

"_Finally_," the lion man complained. "I was wondering what it'd take to get your attention."

He hopped down from the pile and sauntered towards her for a couple of steps.

"What is it you're called, again?" his voice sounded like he was snarling with every sentence.

Leni shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"I think it does," the monster answered. "Names serve a purpose, after all. For example: My name is King! Stronger than any man, more ferocious than any lion! I am King. Period. And this entire city will be my castle."

Leni shook her head.

"I, like, have a feeling I already know the answer," she drifted towards him slowly. People were still crawling out of hiding places and running away. She had to buy them time. "But you need to surrender. If you do, I'll make sure no harm comes to you. And that you're treated fairly."

At this, King grinned widely, showing the massive fangs in his mouth.

"A King," he answered, "Never surrenders."

Leni sighed.

What happened next happened too fast for Leni to even process. She lunged forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. She slugged his jaw with all the strength she could muster. He barely even flinched, slashing his claws down on top of her to try and cut her to ribbons. She dashed to the side, her arm getting grazed by King's thumb. She threw one punch after the other, but the villain wasn't fazed. She swung a leg out to kick his head, and King's teeth dug into her shin.

Before she could even think to cry out in pain, King reared his head, spitting her back out and flinging her to the ground underneath him. He raised a foot to crush her skull, but she put her arms up to block it. He brought his foot up to try and slam it down again, and she took the opportunity to dash away.

She floated a few feet away from him, out of arms reach. A cold wash flushed over her arms and leg.

"You can't beat me, child," he taunted. "I am the pinnacle of power and perfection! You cannot win!"

"_L_…" a buzzing came in through her ear. "…_Leni_!"

"Linc?" Leni put a finger to her earpiece.

"_Your sister is the_-!" a voice could be heard in the background. Oops. They still had guests over. And that voice belongs to Ronnie Anne.

"_Later_!" Lincoln interrupted her. "_Leni, are you okay_?"

"Yeah," she sighed, looking over herself. "There's some blood on my boot, but I know a way to get that out."

"_I meant with the monster, Leni_," Lincoln clarified.

"Oh, right," Leni looked back up at King. He seemed perfectly contempt with Leni finishing her call. "He's really strong. I'm not sure how I can beat him. I tried punching him."

"_I saw_," he answered. "_Dude looks like a Rob Liefeld reject. Leni, you're not going to beat him in a straight up fight_."

"So how am I supposed to win?"

"_You'll have to get creative_," Lincoln coached. "_You remember how you turned those ruined jeans into a grunge dress_?"

"Yeah."

"_You solved a problem by tackling it a different away. You can't hurt him the way he can hurt you, but maybe there's something else that can_."

"Okay…" Leni looked up and around.

"Are you done yet?" King smiled with his arms crossed.

Leni ignored him and kept searching.

"Wait what if I…?" she muttered to herself.

"Time's up," King decided.

He reached for her, and Leni blew air at him. The force of wind actually managed to knock him down.

"Oof!" he gasped. "Congratulations. You managed to surprise me."

"Not looking to surprise you," Leni quipped.

She floated over past him and looked around the intersection. She had the cloth, the picture of design, she's just missing the thread….

She spotted a ruined tow truck. The hitch cable was lying separate from the truck. Perfect! There should be enough here for what she needed.

"Running away?"

Leni, having leaned down to pick up the cable, kicked off to the side just in time to see King's claws stab into the pavement where she was. She rolled across her back and landed up on her feet.

Not wasting time, she kicked back into the air with her prize in hand.

"That won't contain me," King growled. "Not for long."

Ignoring him, Leni lunged forward, dodging another set of claws as she swirled around his arm. She started flying in circles around his ankles, trailing the cable behind her.

"You-"

She circled his middle.

"Need-"

She lapped around his left wrist.

"A-"

She yanked his left wrist to his right, securing that as well. She made only two more laps across his chest.

"Manicure!"

She pulled on the thickly woven material, tightening it over King's body.

"_Whoa_," Someone over the intercom sounded impressed.

"You don't listen very well, do you?" King mocked. His muscles started to flex against his restraints.

"I hear plenty," Leni started to fly straight up. The extra weight was killing her, but she was able to get it done. She silently wished she had asked Lisa for some rocket boots.

Four stories up. Five. Six. Seven. Eight.

"Wh-what?" King started to struggle. "What are you doing?"

Did he sound worried?

"What's wrong?" Leni grunted. "I thought cats, like, always landed on their feet."

"Wait," King started to panic. "Hold on."

They cleared the building line.

"The way I figure it," Leni huffed. "I can't hit you… hard enough to hurt you… But you're not, like… tougher than the ground."

Okay. That's high enough. Don't want to kill him. This is the easy part, anyways.

She dove downwards, tackling him as she shot straight down. She stopped and let him fall the rest of the way into the pavement. The crash was spectacular, and when the dust cleared, there was a King-sized crater.

Leni stood by, but he wasn't getting back up.

"She won!"

"She got him!"

Wait, that wasn't coming from her earpiece. She looked around, seeing people reemerge from their hiding places.

"Woo-hoo!"

"Go, super- uh, Sky Girl?"

"Yeah! Go Sky Girl!"

Leni blushed with embarrassment. They were cheering. For her.

"Miss?" another voice called. "Sky Girl?"

Leni turned and saw Officer Hobbs, spearheading a squad of officers wearing body armor and wielding rifles. The squad fanned out around King with their guns drawn, while Hobbs approached Leni.

"Well done," he shook her hand. "Glad to have you back."

"Feels good to be back," Leni smiled. The smile faded as she looked at the criminal.

"_That's a lot of muscle to hide away_," Lynn muttered jealously.

"Where are we going to put him?" She asked the policeman.

"We'll have to hold him at the station," Hobbs sighed. "Armed guards, round the clock. But its not going to stay that way."

"What do you mean?"

"Someone donated some property up north," Hobbs explained. "Outside the city. Its not quite ready yet, but she's converting it into a penitentiary for people like this."

He pulled out a business card, handing it to Leni.

"Victoria Grace," Leni read aloud. "Owner of Victorious Industries. Wow. I love her brand!"

Well, not that she could afford it. She reads their magazines, though.

A sound emanated from the circle of Swat Officers. King had stood back up, and was chuckling.

"Heh-heh-heh…" he laughed. "You won the battle, little girl, but you haven't won the war. I've done my damage. I've made my call. And now, the Second Wave is coming. Every King needs his subjects, after all."

"Second Wave?" Leni looked between him and Officer Hobbs.

Hobbs didn't look like anything. He turned his head as he noticed another vehicle approaching.

"Ah, good," he noted. "Animal control is here with your muzzle."

King was caged away, chained up and wearing a mask. The van drove away, and the people cheered again.

"I have to get back, Officer," Leni shook his hand again. "If we're done here?"

He nodded, and she took to the skies above.

She didn't know what this "Second Wave" was all about. And she didn't know what a company primarily known for the fashion industry was doing building a prison for super criminals.

She wanted to be this. She wanted to keep doing this. She'll keep her family safe, and they'll support her, no matter what.

She also wants Lincoln to get better. As fast as possible.

"We can handle it," she said as she soared through the sky. "We can handle anything."

It was a promise she intended to keep.


	16. Chapter 16

So much has happened since Leni got these powers.

So much is happening right now.

It was hard to believe what became the new "normal" since she became a superhero so many months ago. She made her costume, protected the city from so many supernatural threats, and… well, her brother is getting better.

She showed up on TV, how cool is that?

Things got shockingly quiet for the following months after that. It was like the whole city was taking a breather from the attacks. Over the holidays, Leni only had to deal with the occasional mugger.

Of course, this left Lisa with another theory.

"You have presented yourself as a clear and present protector of the local area," she explained, "arguably more so than the police. The more forward-thinking criminal has to take you into consideration moving forward. They'll prepare for your presence, and act accordingly."

"In Leni- er, layman's terms," Lori offered, seeking some form a control. "The longer you do this, the more dangerous it gets. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Leni nodded.

"Of course."

In the months of waiting, it felt less like a vacation and more like everyone was holding their breath. Who would pop first?

Leni felt a jolt in her spine as a scream was carried on the winds, right into her ears. With a sigh, she set down the smoothie she had just made.

"Back to work," she mentioned to her father, in the middle of making lunch for everyone. Rita looked back at her as well, examining how she moved.

"Oh! Okay! Uh…!" her father tried to process. Leni was already out of the room. "We'll save a plate for you!"

Leni glided up the steps, turning to her room and changing in a flash. She opened up her window when she heard Rita enter.

"Hey," she called, making the younger girl hesitate. She had her arms crossed in front of her, like she was restraining herself. She opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated. Then she settled on, "Be careful."

With a smile and a nod, Leni zoomed through the air. She slowed down enough to see the commotion around a bank.

"This must be the place," she set down.

She saw the people crowding around the entrance. Police were already on the scene.

"We got the place surrounded," one of the officers approached her. "But they're refusing to surrender."

"Okay," Leni nodded. "Powers?"

"We don't know," he shrugged. "Some are saying yes, but others… I don't know if I believe them."

"Miss!" One of the people called over, "Miss!"

Leni gave him her attention. He had a wild look in his eye.

"I know it sounds crazy," he told her, "but man… they got some wacko gadgets or something! Ain't seen nothing like it since like Star Trek or something!"

"Okay," Leni nodded, "Thanks for the information."

She turned to the officer. "I'll go in and see what I can do."

The man shook his head.

"Look, miss," he warned her. "We don't know who's in there or what they're after. There's no money in a bank like this. They took too long, and now they're desperate to get out. Hobbs doesn't want anyone going in their without backup."

Leni considered this, then looked at the building in question. A squad of police would be nice, but things could get… shooty.

"I'm gonna go talk to them," Leni decided.

"No, wait!"

Leni drifted inside and looked around. Every person that makes it out alive is a win.

Making this objective harder; was the sudden ambush.

Leni didn't register what it was first, but it wrapped around her legs and pulled her down, then up. It slammed her into the ground of the main lobby.

"Crap," someone swore. "She's here!"

"Then take care of her!" someone shouted back.

"On it!"

Leni opened her eyes enough to see the barrel of a gun. She flew out of the way as a wave of heat and fire obliterated the spot she was at just seconds before.

Leni got her first glimpse of the robbers. This one couldn't have been older than fifteen. Her clothes were clearly borrowed; being a wielder's apron and boots. Clearly picked with the intention of protecting herself from the extreme heat projected by that…

Hairdryer?

She spotted another kid, a boy with rubber cleaning gloves and a thick rope in his hands. His hair was spiked, like it he'd been electrocuted. He twirled the cable around and lashed it out at Leni. Leni caught the rope by its head.

"Duh. Why didn't I do that earlier," she though to herself.

Then she looked down at the cable. It… just looked like a plug. A comically large, three-pronged black plug.

With electricity arching between the prongs.

Leni's back arched, as the electricity reached out and shocked her! A few seconds, feeling like an eternity, finally ended, and she let go of the cable. She faltered, descending towards the ground.

"What on earth…" she staggered once her feet hit. "Is going on?"

"We're kicking your-" the insult was lost, because as Leni turned, the third boy fired. A blast of wind knocking her off her feet and across the room.

As Leni got the wind knocked out of her, she noted that the big guy was wearing heavy clothes. Steel toed boots, a thick and heavy coat.

"Well, I can't just miss this!" a fourth child stepped forward. "I want a crack at this too!"

Leni looked up at the girl. She was wearing goggles, and had a tank of water hanging from her shoulder like a handbag. The tank had a hose with a wand that rested in her gloved hands. The wand had a notch at its handle. She fiddled with it and sprayed a couple of times. Leni saw how it carved into the tiles of the lobby like they weren't even there.

"I'll split her in two," the girl promised.

One dropped in from his hiding place.

"Not until I shock her a little more."

The others approached.

"I want to burn off that prim and perfect little face of hers!"

The big guy fiddled with the settings on his over-the-shoulder cannon.

"Nah. I'll set this thing at full charge. I'll blow her head clean off!"

"Wait," Leni pleaded, fighting for air. "Who are you?"

"Heh," the leading girl shrugged. "The city's going to know our names anyways. I'm the Water Witch."

"Hot Stuff," the girl with the hairdryer labeled. "What? I'm confident with my looks!"

"Killer Cable."

"Hurricane Wrench."

Leni looked between the four of them. She didn't have an opinion on their names, but their weapons…

"Where did you get those?"

"Doesn't matter," Water Witch dismissed. "Time to die."

They were standing close together, around her. Leni sucked in some air and blew, hitting them with the force of a hurricane. They all got shoved back. She launched herself forward and tackled the big guy to the ground, knocking his weapon out of his hand. Leni picked it up and threw against the wall, it broke into pieces.

She dashed at Hot Stuff, making her squeal and duck with her hands up to defend her head. Leni stopped in front of her, taking the weapon out of her hand and squeezing the nozzle. It took some doing, but she managed to crush the metal in her hand.

"Ow," she complained. "That hurts."

"Not as much as this!"

Leni pushed the girl down to the ground, covering her as a spray of white water passed overhead. She looked briefly at the damage it caused, cutting a line into the wall and floors, before getting back up and facing her attacker.

"Crap!" she swore. "I'm out!"

Leni turned her attention to Cable, who swung his weapons at his sides.

"Kill you," he grunted as he swung.

"I don't even know any of you!" Leni complained.

He swung the cables around. Lashing out and striking the ground around Leni. Leni ducked and dodged, watching for sparks of electricity as the head slam down around her.

Leni dashed forward, slamming into the boy, and him into the ground.

"_Leni!"_ Luna's voice came over the earpiece. "_What the heck is going on?!_"

"_Is that Leni_?" Rita's voice entered the chat. "_Where is she? Who is that? Is this on the news_?"

"_Honey? Are you alright?_!" Lynn Sr.'s voice echoed in the background.

"Oh, _now_ you show up," Leni complained under her breath.

She wrestled the cables from the boy's grip, she pulled them up and started wrapping them around the chandelier.

"_Who is that? What is he holding? Leni, are you hurt?!"_ Rita blew up her ear canal.

"_Mom, ease up_!" Luna butted in. "_This isn't her first rodeo! She's going to be fine_."

"I'm fine," she answered, finishing up the knot she tied.

Cable tried to struggle, trying to untie himself.

"I wouldn't do that," Leni advised. "It's a long way down. You might break something."

The boy looked at her, then looked down. The anger and frustration on his face faded with the realization.

Leni looked around, seeing the door to a bathroom open.

"Hold on guys, I'm almost full!" the leader called out.

Leni drifted down to the bathroom and stepped inside. The Water Witch stood over a sink, filling up her water tank under the faucet.

"I'm almost-!" she stopped herself when she saw Leni. Leni in turn walked over and turned off the faucet.

"_Well, that was easy_," Rita commented.

"Now," Leni folded her arms in front of her. "You're going to tell me what you and your friends were doing here. And you're going to tell me where you got these… weapons."

"_She sounds a little like you, dear_," Lynn Sr helpfully noted.

"_I was thinking she sounded like you, honey_," Rita distracted.

"_Not a great time, guys!"_ Lynn Jr dissuaded.

Witch, not hearing any of this, answered, "Look, it wasn't anything personal! I mean, the power kind of got to our heads, you know? And we thought, hey, it's a bank. They're greedy and evil, what harm could it really do? And we figured we owed him-"

"Owed?" Leni picked up. "Who do you owe?"

"Um…" the girl twiddled her thumbs. "I… We… don't know."

Leni gave her a disapproving look.

"He just gave us the toys," she explained, "We played around with them, and… Well, he contacted us a couple days ago and told us he needed money. He gave us this drive and… told us to just plug it in, in any bank. So…"

"Show me where."

The two of them walked behind a desk to see the computers the tellers worked on. The screens flickered with images and numbers and binary that flashed by, too quick for the girl to track.

She spotted the thumb drive and ripped it out of the computer. The flashing images stopped, defaulting to the screensavers they had.

"_Leni_," Lisa voiced her concern. "_I would very much like to have that drive_."

"What does this do?" Leni turned to the supposed Witch.

"He just said it would transfer the money he needed," she answered shakily. "A couple… billion?"

The doors burst open, and the police stormed the building. Within minutes, the teenagers were arrested, and she was left to think these events over.

"Officer Hobbs," Leni greeted as he approached.

"_Does he see us_?" Rita wondered.

"_No, Mom_," Luan was exasperated by her mother's lack of technical knowledge.

"Miss," he nodded. "Or, Sky Girl. Any troubles today?"

"They were kids," she explained. "Some of them were even younger than me."

"Well, it doesn't look like any of them are hurt, at least not too badly. This bank doesn't have any money in it, just about a weeks' worth of customer deposits. Talked to the manager already, they said everything was shipped out the other day. Did they say anything?"

"That they were gifted these weapons, and they were coerced into this robbery," she sighed. "And they got what they wanted with this thingy."

"A thumb drive?" Hobbs wondered. "That must be a hell of program on there."

"My sister is kind of a genius," Leni offered. "Can I take this and give it back to you later?"

Hobbs huffed with a short laugh, shaking his head.

"Sure, kid," he smiled. "Do what you gotta do."

With a smile back, Leni took to the skies, flying her way back home.

"It's your world," Hobbs muttered, "We're all just living in it."

* * *

The path ahead laid before him, lengthy and uncaring.

"I'm right here with you. We can start when you're ready."

Lincoln looked up at his oldest sister. She smiled down patiently, something of a rare sight in the boy's life, though couldn't muster up any appreciation for it.

His parents and Lori decided to take shifts with Lincoln after the holidays. Today was Lori's turn, and it was the first day of the second week they cleared him for physical therapy. The damage wasn't as devastating as it could have been, but it still hurt, all the same.

He took in a breath, steeling himself for the task ahead.

"Okay," he said, "Let's get this over with."

He pushed himself out of the chair, Lori briefly reaching out and helping his hand find the bars. Lincoln pulled himself up, the majority of his weight pressed into his palms. His legs were not strong enough to support him yet.

"Okay," Lori coached him. "One step at a time."

"I _know_, Lori."

He silently commanded his leg to move. It seemed to take so much, just to wiggle his toes. He hears his parents talk when they think he's asleep. With the restaurant still being repaired, the paychecks are cut in half. And the bills are stacked high since he was admitted. Dad has to pick up a part time job until he can get back to serving Lynn's Table. And he may have to keep it even after that.

The tip of his shoe scrapped the floor and planted itself flatly against the ground.

"Good job!" Lori cheered, careful not to touch him. "Now…"

She trailed off, watching him twitch his other foot.

There was a boiling sensation, in the pit of his stomach. It bubbled and burned and broiled.

His foot caught on his ankle, and he tripped.

"Whoa!" Lori cried.

Lincoln dropped and hooked himself on the railing. His chin and elbows hit it, and he struggled to right himself.

"Easy there," Lori advised, wrapping her arms around her brother. "Let me help you."

"..." he muttered something under his breath.

"What?"

Lincoln was leaning over the railing now, his stomach bearing most of the weight.

"Get off me!" He swatted an arm at her. "I don't need…!"

He couldn't finish the sentence. He knew it wasn't true. He needed her here, but he was just too angry to accept it.

Lori though, was not phased.

"Do you want to sit down," she asked him, "or do you want to keep going?"

Lincoln panted. Two steps. Two _freaking_ steps!?

"I'm fine," he muttered. He hung his head in shame. "I want to keep going. I just… need a minute."

"Okay," Lori nodded. She stood next to him, with a water bottle in her hand.

The television was turned up on the other side of the rec room. Leni stopped a bank robbery committed by a bunch of kids with super weapons.

"Should've been me." A low voice muttered.

Lori looked at her brother. Her eyes were critical, dissecting.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" she offered.

Lincoln looked at her, before looking back down and shaking his head.

"No," he answered.

"Are you sure?"

He stayed silent. His eyes stayed fixed on a stain on the rug.

"…M angry."

"Okay," Lori planted a hand on his shoulder. "What are you angry about?"

"…" he bowed his head in shame.

"You can tell me," Lori encouraged. Her hand gently rubbed his back. "I'm listening."

I'm a burden on this family. I can't walk or do anything by myself. I know more about superheroes than anyone else, and I don't have superpowers. My _sister_ does. And she bumbles her way into saving the day and she can't even _spell_ radioactive! Haven't seen Clyde in six months. Ronnie Anne is always busy since school wasn't cancelled where _she_ is.

And I can't take two steps without tripping over myself!

"I can't…" Lincoln struggled. "Can't say it."

"Whatever it is," Lori promised. "It stays between us."

Lincoln thought about it.

"I hate… this." He confessed.

"This what?" Lori guessed. "The exercise? You have to do it, Lincoln. You need to practice. And… you gained a few pounds over Christmas."

"I know," his tone no less light nor accepting. "I hate…"

He trailed off.

"What is it?"

"…" Lincoln shook his head. "Leni was here yesterday."

"I remember."

"I almost asked…" he sighed. "I wanted her to get me one of those… crystals."

"Crystals…?" Lori tried to remember. Right, when the generator exploded, it left crystalized debris all over the city. "Like the ones on the news?"

He nodded.

"Why would you ask her that?" Lori sounded slightly more distressed.

"I _didn't_ ask her!" Lincoln corrected.

"Why would you, though?" she demanded.

"I… I knew that she would… go get me one," he confessed. "I knew she would get me one if she thought it would heal me."

Lori looked at her brother. Her face was stern, stunned, and unreadable.

"…You know that's wrong, Lincoln," Lori told him.

"I know," he admitted. He gave a sniff and wiped his face on his arm. "I figured it was worth a shot, but I never got her alone in the room with me. And now I just…"

He hung his head again. Shame overtook him in a single wave. He couldn't look his sister in the eye.

"But you haven't asked her," Lori questioned.

"No," he answered. "I never got the chance."

The two stayed silent for a few minutes.

"I'm a bad person," he told his sister.

Her hand found its way to his back again, as she leaned forward to listen.

"I have all these… awful thoughts," he explained. "And… I know I shouldn't be mad at Leni, but I am. I keep thinking like… did she even try? Did I have to go in there to begin with? Or if I died, maybe mom and dad wouldn't have to worry about-"

"Lincoln. Martin. Loud."

He flinched at his own name. He looked up at his sister, but not in the eyes.

"Don't ever say that." She scolded him. "Things are going to be tight for a little while, but we'll figure it out. Don't ever feel like you shouldn't be here."

Her hand reached around to his other shoulder, pulling him into a side embrace.

"I know this is rough, Lincoln," she sympathized. "But we're all going through this with you. What happened, happened. And as much as I want to go back and change it, I can't. Everyone did everything they could. And nobody did anything wrong. And that's… probably the hardest thing to accept."

"…Pretty sure that fire guy did something wrong."

Lori chuckled into his hair.

"Everyone that matters." Lori corrected.

They stayed silent for a moment. The boy oddly felt better, having let some of that out.

"I'm…" Lincoln sighed. "I think I'm ready to try again."

"Okay," Lori let him go and got beside him. "Whenever you're ready."

Lincoln struggled more, but managed to get more steps in. We worked harder, slowly but surely.

Lori remembered something she read once. The five stages of grief. Its almost never develops in the order listed, and everyone goes through it on their own pace. But everyone goes through it, regardless, if they've encountered trauma. Through all the celebration and wrapping her head around this superhero nonsense, she forgot her little brother would be going through his own battle.

As she helped Lincoln sit back down in his chair, she sighed.

"Some workout, huh?" she smiled at him.

"Yeah," Lincoln sighed. "Back to basics."

Lori pushed him out and back to the van. The only thing on her mind was how upside down the world had gotten.


	17. Chapter 17

**_Warning: Mentions of explicit topics._**

* * *

**_December 1st_**

Leni took another breath. That stage didn't look any less intimidating.

"I don't think I can do this," she said to herself.

"Don't worry," a friendly voice extended a hand onto her shoulder. "I'm going to be out there with you. And its my job to try and make you look good."

Holly gave her a kind smile. Hobbs introduced the two of them and, while she gave Hobbs plenty of grief, she's acted like Leni's best friend.

"Do you want to go over the script, again?"

"Sure," Leni agreed.

"Okay," Holly stepped back, energetic arms pushing out an imaginary stage before her. "I walk in, do my bit, do a little background, cheesy jokes-"

"They love the cheesy jokes, ma'am." An intern noted.

"A few video clips for excitement…" Holly continued, rubbing her palms together. "And then: _May I introduce, the Amazing, the Intrepid,_ (no, that doesn't work)_ the Spectacular Sky Girl!_"

"Right," Leni sighed again. "I… walk onto the stage."

"Smiling and waving," Holly reminded.

"Smiling and waving," Leni echoed.

"Having fun?" another voice added.

Leni turned to see Hobbs approach.

"Oh, hey Officer Hobbs."

"Hello, _honey_," Holly greeted. "Arresting or visiting?"

"Visiting," Hobbs stepped to the side, "And I thought your guest could use a friend."

A girl walked up and greeted Leni with a restrained and patient smile.

"My name's Tiffany," she shook the hero's hand. "I heard your family couldn't be here to support you."

Leni nodded. If she brought anyone here, it would provide possibly hundreds of people with a crucial clue to her identity. They were better off watching the program in the hospital with Lincoln. Though she couldn't explain that to her own nerves.

"I always wanted to be on TV," Leni shakily confessed. "And now that I'm here, I don't know what to do with myself."

"You'll do great," Tiffany encouraged. "Everyone already wants to know you. Just be yourself."

"Thanks."

Music played over the speakers.

"Oop!" Holly then mentioned. "Show's about to start. I'll give you a few seconds to prepare. Take a lot of deep breaths, dear. You'll do great!"

Leni's head started to spin. Before she knew it, she was walking on stage to a crowd of people. They showed clips of her battles with villains like Nox and King. Even her technically first televised debut with Dream Queen.

"And where is Dream Queen now?" Holly wondered. This was part of their script. This was part of the plan. "The other villains (God, I love saying that) have been captured, but we know a couple of them are missing."

Leni's face got sad. It wasn't an act.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know," she answered honestly. "Midori Summers was taken out of the city and away from her home by the government. I know she's, like, a villain, but she's also in a lot of pain. I don't think she was in her right mind when she attacked."

"So, the Event," Holly clarified, "the explosion that gave you, and others, their powers, affects their emotional state?"

"Yes."

"So what about you?" Holly followed the script. "Aren't you also effected by your powers?"

"I am," Leni agreed. "But, I'm lucky to have the support of so many people, helping me."

She paused, looking down for a moment. She returned her gaze to one of the cameras.

"I want everyone at home to know," Leni told the camera. "If you have powers, if you've been affected by the generator explosion in any way…"

_Remember your words, Leni_.

"You are not alone," Leni decided. "I will do everything I can to protect my home, but I can't do it all by myself. Several schools have offered their gymnasiums as "Exposed Generator Gathering Centers." They have staffs of volunteers at the ready to help you, including doctors."

"Yes," Holly agreed, "We've talked about the EGG Centers the other day. Is there anything else you would like to tell out audience? For the people at home?"

Leni nodded. She looked back at the camera.

"I wouldn't be doing this," she confessed. "If I didn't think there were good people out there watching this. You are not alone."

Leni's head turned, with a ringing in her ear. Someone is in trouble.

"I'm sorry," Leni turned to Holly. "I need to go."

"Oh!" Holly blinked. "Uh, Okay! Can we give a hand to Sky Girl? We'd love to have you again-"

"Thanks for having me!" Leni called out as she flew off the stage.

She had to leave. There was another mugging, and this guy hand a knives for hands.

* * *

**_Today_**

Leni flew over to the circle of Police. A crowd had formed at the base of a tall building.

"Kid," Hobbs sighed. "I won't blame you if you decide to go home today."

"What happened?"

"Some people spotted someone at the top of this building," he explained. "They think he's going to jump, but he says he wants to talk to you. This is the ugly part of the job. If you do this, you're going to be pushed to your limit."

Leni looked up the building. She could see the faraway figure on the ledge.

"_This is going to be pretty heavy, Leni_," Luna warned further. "_No one's going to blame you if you walk away_."

"Yes, they will," Leni argued. She turned to Hobbs. "I'll go talk to him."

He nodded, offering nothing else. Or was not able to think of anything else to say.

Leni flew up the side of the building.

The pit in her stomach grew heavier. Suicide is such an ugly thing. She always heard stories about it, but couldn't wrap her head around the concept.

She still has to help. She was summoned here, so maybe there's a way she can help.

She stopped at the top of the building, floating eye-to-eye with the victim. It was a long way down.

The boy had changed drastically. His skin was green, and leathery, if he had any hair before, it fell out, leaving a few short strays. He kept his hands hanging in front of chest, kind of what Leni's default stance is, oddly enough. Except when Leni did it, it wasn't because she was cowering down like what he was doing now. And she had more than four fingers on each hand. His attire was cargo shorts and a dark blue tank top. When he looked up at her, she saw that he had a small mouth, and blank, bulbous brown and green eyes.

"Oh gosh," Lori gasped in Leni's ear. "Who's that?"

Someone pulled her away and explained it to her. Leni could here the younger ones being pushed out of the room.

"Hello," Leni waved. "Are… Are you okay?"

He shook his head. "No…"

"Can I sit with you?"

He only nodded.

"I'm… well, you probably know who I am," Leni gingerly set down next to him. "What's your name?"

"…Leech."

"What?" Leni leaned in.

"Everyone… says I'm a leech," he said. "I don't try to be. My parents named me Jack."

Jack left it at that. Leni scooched a little closer. They were almost shoulder to shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"My parents kicked me out," he said. "Casey broke up with me. Can't go to homeless shelters. EGG places kicked me out… I don't have anything left. It's just this power now. These powers are all I have."

Leni took a second.

"I don't see it like that," Leni answered. "I heard a wise man once say… Life is a lot like a dark tunnel. You don't always see the light at the end, but if you keep moving… you'll see it again."

"_You guys have been binge watching Avatar again, haven't you?_" Lori lightly accused.

"_Uncle Iroh's one of the wisest guys I know_," Lincoln answered.

Leni reached over, taking one of his open palms in hers.

"You're stronger than you know, Jack," Leni assured him. "I know you are."

"No," he shook his head. "I'm not."

He looked Leni in the eye. "But that's why I need your help. _These powers are all I have_."

His hand latched around Leni's. He reached over and grabbed the offered arm with his free hand. The two sets of four digits clamped down on her like bear traps. The palms dug into her skin and a burning sensation fell across her body. She arched her back in pain and screamed.

Leni's mind went blank. She was aware that someone was shouting things in her ear, but she couldn't decipher any of it. The last thing she could remember hearing was Jack standing over her.

"Now I have your power too."

* * *

Leni opened her eyes with a start.

She shot up and looked around. Concrete walls and floors. Bars sectioned off this corner of a long hall as a room.

She's in a jail cell!

"Guys?" Leni felt for the earpiece, only to find it missing. Then she felt for the mask on her face, only to find it bare as well.

"Guys?!"

She stood up and looked around the space she was lying in. Its gone. They're both gone!

Leni grabbed the bars reaching her arm through and flailed it about, while trying to squeeze herself out in between them. That was no good, she was too big. She shook the bars, and noticed a door. She tried to push and pull on it until-

"Whoa."

She staggered and fell to her knees. Did being panicked really drain her that much?

"Relax," a familiar voice echoed through the room. "Stay a while."

Leni looked up and saw the victim she was talking to last. His timid demeanor was replaced by a confident strut.

"Jack," she struggled to stand back up. "Jack, what is this? What are you doing?"

"Jack's not my name," he waved a finger at her. She noticed his hands hand sharp teeth on their insides. "Not anymore. It's Leech."

"Where am I?" Leni pleaded. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm hungry, Leni," he explained. "I'm always hungry. I thought those EGG Centers could be my meal tickets, but they all suspected me almost immediately. I couldn't really eat anywhere. Then I had the brilliant idea: trap you. Feed on you and any others I like forever. With your speed, I got my pick of the litter!"

"Jack," Leni shook her head. "The EGG Centers were supposed to _help_ you! You're supposed to be getting better, not… not falling like this!"

"I am better," Leech grinned. "Thanks to you. Whatever I feed on; I start taking their attributes. Speed, strength… I even got your memories rolling around in here." He tapped a finger to his temple. It was only then that Leni realized he had grown a head of short blond hair, the same shade as hers.

"Problem is," he continued, "I only keep them around for a little while. I have to come back to eat again. But now that you're my prisoner, I can come back and eat any time I want."

"No," Leni begged. "You can't do this!"

"Already have," he grinned. Leni noticed that a black substance grew across his arms. "And unless you want me going after your family and crippled little brother, you'll stay here like a good girl."

"No…" Leni bowed her head. _Think, Leni. Think!_

"Well," he sauntered away. "I'm off to get something to eat. For me, not so much for you. Be right back."

He left, with Leni left to think in panicked circles. She walked around her cell, looking for something, _anything_ she could use to escape. Finding that there were no secret passages or chisels to speak of, she collapsed against the wall, sobbing into her knees.

_How did i screw up this badly?_

"Are you crying over there?"

Leni's head shot up.

"Who's there?" she asked.

The voice hesitated. "You don't remember me?"

"Should I?" Leni got up to close the distance. "Who are you?"

"Ugh," she verbally rolled her eyes, "How did you ever beat us?"

Leni thought for a second. Then she realized where she recognized the voice.

"Ink."

"No duh. Way to go Nancy Drew."

"How-?" Leni stammered. "When did-?"

"You're the second guest in this hole," she explained. "He stole my power, then he wanted yours."

"Where are we?"

"Juvie," she sighed. "The building ran out of money, some scam or scandal or something. This place is abandoned. TJ said it'd be the perfect place for a hideout after…"

She fell silent. Leni waited for her to continue.

"I heard…" she tried to say. "I heard the kid lived."

Leni didn't offer any commentary. Some invisible thing constricted around her throat.

"Uh…" She stammered. "It wasn't personal, ya-know. We were just trying to, like, scare you, ya-know? I mean, I'm sorry about the kid, but-"

"Stop." Leni ordered.

She leaned up against the wall, sitting next to the cell's door. She sat down, trying to think of what to do.

Okay. She doesn't have her mask, or her earpiece. Her phone is missing too, now that she reached for it. The others were watching her, but what can they do?

"You have any food, over there?"

"No." Leni curtly responded.

"Crap," Ink complained. "I've been here since last night. I'm starving over here."

It was around noon when Leni heard the commotion surrounding Leech. She'd been here a long while.

She shook her head. _Focus_.

Lori and the others were watching. They saw her get grabbed and kidnapped. They would have told this to the police. And then…

She would have to hope that Lisa was serious when she claimed to chip all of them.

"You think of a way out, yet?"

"No." Leni answered. "Shut up."

"Okay, that's cool," Ink talked anyways. "Just thought you were a hero."

Leni gritted her teeth.

"Cute TV interview," she further taunted, "You mean to tell me you can't slip through the bars; little miss knees-and-elbows?"

"Shut. Up." Leni snapped. "What's your problem with me, anyway? What did I ever do to offend you?"

That got her to be quiet. She took her time answering, at least.

"You're nothing like me," Ink muttered. It was kind of hard to hear. Leni missed her super hearing.

Leni blinked when she realized what she had said. "And that's… a bad thing?"

Ink took her time answering again.

"Yes."

Leni tried to think. That girl is hurting. And its not just hunger pains.

"Is there something you want to talk about?"

She made a disgusted noise. "The hell do you think? What makes you think you could know me?"

"Try me." Leni challenged her.

"…" She grunted and sighed. "Dad died two years ago."

Leni didn't say anything. That's a tragedy by itself. She can't imagine the pain that had brought her.

"I had to get away from my uncle," she continued. "Joining the Hellion Angels was the best bet I had. And then… I got these powers. Suddenly Gretta took more of an interest in me."

Leni could hear her curling up against the wall.

"She's worse than my uncle." She stated. "At least TJ never touched me.

"And then _you_ come along. Little miss prim and perfect. I bet you never had a bad day in your life."

"I've had bad days," Leni explained. "The three of you hurt my brother, remember? And nobody is perfect, Ink."

Leni bowed her head, realizing that was the only thing she knew to call her by.

"Like, I don't even know your name."

Ink sighed. "Clarice."

"Clarice," Leni repeated. "I'm sorry you've had it so rough. I'm sorry you've been alone to deal with _all_ of it by yourself. You don't have any other family that can help you?"

"No." Clarice muttered. "I mean, I guess. Maybe. I never tried to… I don't know. I thought they didn't care about me."

"Try." Leni urged. "They might surprise you."

"Heh." She laughed bitterly. "Yeah. If we get out here. You know about family?"

"I'd say it's the one thing I do know," Leni assured.

"…" Clarice shifted. "You must be close. To your family. You guys don't fight, like at all?"

"We fight every day," Leni laughed. "But I have, like, my own ways of paying them back. Like, I learned how to pick locks just so I could walk in on them whenever I… want… to…"

Clarice shifted again.

"You can pick locks?"

Leni blinked as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I can pick locks," she answered. She shot up and pulled out a hair pin. She started to work on her lock. "I can't believe I forgot-"

"Just hurry and get us out of here!" Clarice was at her own door.

"Hold on," Leni assured. "I almost… got it…"

A noise echoed through the facility. It was too obvious. Someone was coming!

"Leni," Clarice warned. "Leni, stop! He's coming!"

"I can open it," Leni tried to work faster. "I can-"

A door was kicked opened, and Leni let go of the hairpin. It was still in the lock. Leni backed away from the cell door.

Leech appeared before her, holding his shoulder. His clothes were stained with blood. He glared at her suspiciously. Did he see…?

"Rough day?" Clarice taunted. Or was she distracting him?

"Stupid Lion," he muttered. "He said it'd be easy."

_Wait. Lion_?

Leech limped over to Clarice's cell. "I don't know which one of you has healing powers, and I don't care. It burned up all my time. Stupid cops. Guarding the EGG Centers… If I die out there, no one's coming to save you, you know! So its in your best interest to help me. Who knows, maybe you'll come to care for me."

"Don't count on it," Clarice spat at his feet.

Leech looked at his arm. It was clean. No black substance.

"I'm losing my powers," he muttered. "Time for a refill, Daddy's girl."

"What?" Clarice backed away. "No!"

Leech jingled some keys out of his pocket and started to unlock her cell.

"No! Stay away from me!"

Leni reached out and started fiddling with the hairpin. The two doors opened at the same time.

Leni charged Leech.

"Get. Away. From her!" She threw punch after punch.

He had her reflexes. He ducked and dodged out of the way. Then he swiped his arms at her.

"Get. Back. In your. Cell!"

Leni ducked and dodged out of his way. Miraculously, she caught his wrist. Then the other one.

_Now what?_

Clarice ran out of her cell and held the door open. The two girls made eye contact, understanding the plan immediately.

Leni shoved him once to get him to the door. Then, the two girls shoved him into the cell and slammed the door shut. Clarice grabbed the keys that were still in the door.

"No. No!"

Leech lunged at the bars. Leni and Clarice stood against the opposite wall, gasping for breath. He reached for them wildly and howled like he was being burned alive.

Clarice eventually pulled Leni to the next room, one Leni couldn't think about or observe right now.

"Here," Clarice handed Leni her gear. They were in a desk next to the door. "This is yours."

Leni took the items and put the on, one by one. She looked around. This was a set of offices, not unlike the police station. All abandoned.

"So, what happens now?" Clarice asked. "I go to jail?"

Leni looked at her. She didn't know what to think.

"I'm still angry at you," Leni confessed. "I know you haven't had an easy life, but that doesn't excuse what you have done to me.

"But," she continued. "All things considered: its been a long day. So I'm giving you _one day_ to think about what you want to do. You can wander the city, a criminal waiting to get caught, or you can go home and try to reconnect to someone other than your uncle."

She didn't answer.

"Think about it." Leni advised. "And if you need help… I'll help you."

She nodded. "Okay."

She walked to a wall, painting her hands over it and sparing Leni one last look. With a final nod, she walked through the swirling vortex, and disappeared.

Leni flew out of the building, finding a fire exit.

"_Leni_?" Lincoln sounded panicked. "_Leni, are you there? I think she's back_!"

"I'm alright, Linky," she sighed. "I'm back."

"_What happened_?" Lori fretted. "_You've been gone for hours_!"

"I'm sorry," Leni sighed again. Taking another breath of fresh air this high in the sky. "I need to make a call to Officer Hobbs. It's… been a long day."


	18. Chapter 18

"Mom? Mom? Mommy!"

The shakes jarred Leni awake. She took in a breath as she yawned and stretched her arms. She must have fallen asleep on the couch.

"Not now Lola," Leni turned over. "I've been up all night. I'll play with you later. Just let me sleep."

"Lola?" the voice sounded bewildered. "Silly Mommy. I'm Amy."

Leni's eyes shot open and she raised her head to look at the little girl standing next to her. She blinked with bewilderment at the toddler.

She had to be six or seven years old. Short black hair, yellow skin, pink T-shirt with a dancing cartoon flower on it, blue shorts and white light up shoes.

Leni blinked. "Hi," she greeted. She sat up. "Are you one of Lola's friends-"

"Hey Mom!" a call from the other room snapped her attention. Wait, this was the living room, but the kitchen's under the stairs. The dining room is completely open to the living room. This isn't their furniture. There's a mirror by the door. Whose house is this?!

"Mom?" the second voice called again. This time she poked her head through the doorway. A pretty girl with dark skin and curly hair smiled at her. "Dad said he had to work late tonight, so he thought you could use a hand in the kitchen."

Leni didn't answer, but the girl didn't stick around. She headed back into the kitchen. Leni looked around, going up to the mirror. It was still her. Her blond hair was longer. She still had a pair of shades on her head. She had a turquoise top, and white mom jeans. Her figure had certainly… filled out. She was older, somehow.

"Mommy?"

Leni looked down. The little girl was looking up at her with pleading eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

Leni opened her mouth, but she couldn't think of an answer. The other girl set something down in the kitchen and walked out with a skeptical look.

"I'm…" Leni found her words. "I'm fine… Amy. I just… I think I need to sit down for a second."

Leni walked back to the couch, the new teenager held her hand as she set down.

"Amelia," the older girl lightly suggested. "Why don't you go upstairs?"

The little girl spared another glance at Leni before trotting off. Leni held a hand over her face.

_I think I'm going to be sick_. She thought to herself. _I'm a Mom!?_

"Mom?" the older girl held her shoulder. "Mom?"

Leni looked over to the girl. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "But… Who are you?"

"Oh boy," the girl placed her palm to Leni's forehead. "You really did hit your head this time, didn't you?"

Leni blinked. Was it that simple an explanation?

"Breathe in and out, Mom," she instructed. "You're Leni Loud. I'm Avery, your daughter."

"Daughters. Right." That must be this girl's name. She pointed at the stairs. "And she's… Amelia."

"Yes," Avery agreed before continuing, "Your husband is Victor Reid."

"Wait," Leni paused. "Husband?"

She looked at her hands. If she's married, then…

There. A ring, on her finger, and a modest diamond.

"You kept your maiden name when you married," Avery explained. "Then you decided you wanted to adopt… well, everyone, I guess."

"Adopt, right," Leni nodded. "Wait, everyone?"

Just then, the door opened, and a flood of kids poured in. Five total. Leni stared at the bunch, wide eyed.

There was a tall teenager with a plaid green shirt, and red hair. He just placed a pair of headphones over his ears. Two blond twelve year old boys were shoving and horse playing in their jerseys. A thirteen-year-old with a head brace had her head stuck in a book. And finally, a two-year-old boy clumsily stepped in, with short black hair, wide blue eyes, and a thumb in his mouth.

These were her kids.

This was her… family.

"Hey, guys," Avery stood up. "Let's take it easy today. Mom's not feeling too hot right now."

"What, she split a seam?" The older teen snickered. Then he got a slightly more worried look as Leni stared at him.

"Shut up, Benjamin," Avery stood up to the taller, more imposing boy. She looked at the others. "Barry, Bryce, go clean your room before Mom sees what you did to it, _again_. Audrey- Hello? Yes, you Audrey- put down the book long enough to keep an eye on Amy upstairs. And Bradley…"

The toddler stomped up to Leni, with his thumb in his mouth. The little boy looked up at her, and then held his arms up to be picked up.

Leni, of course picked the boy up and wrapped him in a hug.

"Mommy?" the little boy babbled. In her ear.

"It's okay, sweetie," Leni soothed the boy. "I'm right here."

Victor Reid. Leni Loud. Benjamin, Avery, Audrey, Barry, Bryce, Amelia, and Bradley.

Suddenly, the cloud of confusion in Leni's mind didn't matter anymore. The metric ton of questions didn't seem all that important. She had five… six… seven beautiful children.

What more could she ask for?

Well, she could ask for that phone to stop ringing.

"Mom," Benjamin pointed out. "It's your work phone."

"Work phone?" Leni looked up. She picked the device off the coffee table and, seeing the call labeled as "Linky," answered it.

"Hello?" she answered uncertainly.

"Hey," a very grown voice answered nonchalantly. "Got another one nearby, are you busy?"

"Lincoln?" Leni couldn't believe it. "You sound… different."

"Not really the time, Leni," Older-Lincoln scolded. "This guy's kind of a nut. He's calling himself… What is this? Zombiefarious? Ugh. I hate it when they try too hard to be clever. Anyway, I need to know if you can handle this or not."

"Handle it…" Leni looked at her free hand. She remembered. She could feel the power inside of her. She was a superhero. "Um… Yeah. Yeah, I can handle it."

"Cool," Lincoln answered. "He's on North Street right now. You'll know him when you see him."

Leni hung up the phone. She looked at the children around her.

"Your suit's upstairs, Mom," Avery gently reminded her.

"Upstairs," Leni repeated. She followed those instructions and, after deducing that the master bedroom was at the end of the hall, wandered into her room.

It was almost on instinct, going over to the vanity and pressing a hidden button. The dresser and mirror folded themselves into the floor and wall. In its place, a display case featuring a suit and a mask on a mannequin. It was just like her old costume, a turquoise dress with black leggings. The cape looked like silk. The boots, and gloves and new shoulder pads were all more streamlined. It looked like the design she created so many "years" ago had been perfected. Even the mask had two colored lines by the eyes.

"Wow," she uttered. She wasted no more time, and dressed herself in her new uniform. It felt instantaneous that she was standing in the mirror admiring herself.

"I. Look. Good." She nodded in approval. Her reflection agreed.

Without another second's hesitation, she dashed out the nearby window. Flying up and above a city she loved. Feeling the rush of the wind, but none of the cold. She may have forgotten a lot, but this is one thing she remembered.

She saw the ruckus being caused downtown. Police had their cars parked at both ends of the street. The suspect was thrashing around the center. He was six feet tall, wearing harness around his torso. He was muscly, flailing his arms about. Visually everything was fine until you see him from the neck up. Skin melded into the bone of his spinal column, and stopped just short of a bare, white skull. There were no eyes, or ears, or any sign of any other organs that should have allowed the boy to function. In fact the sockets were totally black, not exposing the brain that should be rolling around in there.

And suddenly, Leni was thankful she couldn't see that.

Leni floated over the cars, not intentionally ignoring the officers, but was absorbed by the sight of the rampaging criminal.

"Hey, hero!"

Leni snapped her head over to the old man calling her down. His hair had more gray than color, but Leni was able to recognize her police officer friend.

"Officer Hobbs," Leni greeted as she set down.

The man gave her a strange look. "Commissioner," he corrected with a shake of his head. "Kid's drugged up. We can't get near him long enough to calm him down. Bullet proof too, as far as I can tell."

Leni raised an eyebrow. "How do you know he's bulletproof?"

Hobbs rubbed the back of his head. "Youngbloods," he shrugged.

Leni nodded and drifted over to the giant. As she made her way to them, more people noticed her, and started to cheer her name.

"_Le-ni-Loud! Le-ni-Loud! Le-ni-Loud_!"

Leni blushed as she descended. This should be easy, she was an adult now, after all.

"Excuse me, young man!" Leni called out. The boy turned to look at her. His blank bony face betrayed nothing.

"I can tell you're distressed," Leni approached him. "We can fight this out, or we can talk this out. Its your choice."

* * *

Leni walked through the sliding doors with her guest in tow.

"I know these powers are confusing," Leni encouraged, "but if you give these people the time, I'm sure they can help you."

"Okay," the skeletal jaw clacked open with each syllable. Leni wasn't sure how the sound was being made, but the words came unhindered. "Okay, I'll try."

The boy was escorted away, and Leni walked into the room. It was filled with people at computer stations. They were all facing a screen on the opposite wall, and a man was standing in front it with a headset.

"Okay. Good job, take ten." The commander ordered into the headset. "Who do we have on patrol in the area? Okay, give them the heads up. They'll know what to do."

As Leni approached the center of the room, the commander turned around to show a familiar face.

"Leni," Lincoln waved as he walked to meet her. "Thanks for coming in. We were really short staffed today- Whoa!"

Leni attacked her brother with a bear hug around his neck. She didn't care where they were or if people stared. She was just glad he was here. She pulled back and looked him up and down.

"Lincoln…" she gasped. "You're so tall! And you're growing a beard!"

The young man blushed as his subordinates snickered around him.

"Let's talk in the next room," he led her down to a side door, opening to an office.

"You're walking," Leni noted. "You healed up!"

"Are you okay?" the young man put a hand on the woman's forehead. "Did you hit your head again?"

"I… I guess so," Leni sighed. "I don't really remember… anything. Like, what is this place?"

"Superheroes Incorporated," Lincoln proudly crossed his arms and leaned against his desk. "It's the company you started."

"No way. Are Lori and the others here?"

"Yeah," Lincoln smiled. "Lori's handling the financial stuff and keeping everyone honest."

"Lana and Lola?" Leni pushed. "What about Lisa?"

"Lisa's head of the development bracket, sharing and inventing new tech for our field operations. Lana's going to join her next year, if you can believe it. Engineering department. Lola's thinking about the business management with Lori, but she hasn't settled on anything yet."

"What's Luan up to? Did Luna start her band?"

"Luna and Luan have been doing some amazing work in our advertisement departments. Luna more in her own way."

"What about Lynn and Lucy?"

"Recruit training and chronicler, respectively," Lincoln answered. "Lola's thinking about the business management with Lori, but she hasn't settled on anything yet."

A new thought occurred to Leni. "And Lily?"

"Turning fifteen this year," He shook his head, "If you can believe it."

"Fifteen…" Leni blinked. That little baby is already in high school. "I should have seen…"

"Hey," Lincoln reach out. "It's okay. We can catch up with her some time."

Leni looked at her brother. "What about you?"

"Mission coordinator," he smiled. "I think up new strategies and direct our operatives to key positions."

"Other superheroes," Leni breathed. "I'm not the only one."

Leni breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was alright, even if her memory is a little fuzzy. But… something's not quite right.

"What about my husband?" Leni asked her brother. "Who is Victor Reid?"

"_You're an idiot_."

Leni blinked. That didn't _sound_ like her brother, but who else could it be?

"_Are you really going to fall for all of this?_" her brother said in a different voice. "_I _will_ have my revenge on you, Sky Girl. So, you better not die before I get back. So says the Dream Queen._"

"Midori Summers?" Leni's eyes grew wide.

"Leni? Leni, are you there?"

Leni shook her head and blinked. Her brother looked at her like nothing happened.

"I…" She shook her head again. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said Victor called earlier," he explained. "He said you hit your head, and its too soon to be flying around the city."

"Right, right," Leni agreed. "That… that makes sense… I think."

"He says he's on his way to pick you up," Lincoln wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'll walk you out."

The two walked down the building, sitting in the elevator for an uncomfortably long time. The longer it took, the more a sense of dread overtook Leni. She couldn't explain it, but this person holding onto her felt more like a stranger than her brother.

Actually, she doesn't remember taking an elevator to get up here to begin with.

"Hey," Leni croaked as she realized her throat was dry. "Remember that time, when I helped with Easter Dinner?"

"Um… Remind me?"

"I just remember how good it all looked. And how it smelled," Leni explained with a nostalgic smile. "I think I found my passion for cooking then."

Lincoln smiled at her.

"Yeah," he agreed. "You always knew your way around the kitchen."

They rode the rest of the elevator in silence. When the doors open, Leni found themselves in a lobby. They made it halfway across when Leni halted her stride completely, forcing her escort to stop as well.

"Lincoln," Leni prompted. "What are our parents names?"

"What?" Lincoln looked at her. "Leni don't be ridiculous. Come on, the car is here. Its time for you to go home."

"No!" Leni threw the arm off of her. "You lied, Lincoln!"

"What?" He looked confused. "About what?"

"I burn everything!" Leni pointed out. "You guys do everything you can to keep me out of the kitchen!"

The front doors open, and Leni's children poured into the building.

"Mommy!" they collectively rushed her. They crowded around her, jumping up and hugging her, each on begging for her attention.

Leni's heart crumbled. She couldn't answer any of them. She took a deep breath and looked around. That fuzziness at the edges of her vision. It felt like a storybook. It felt faker than the faux fur on tv.

"The last thing I remember…" she muttered out loud. The children stopped harping on her and stared. "Was there was a call of a lot of missing persons. Including Sam Sharp. Luna asked me to look for her, and… I found her in a warehouse. With…"

"Victor Reid."

Leni turned to the front sliding doors to see a man walk in. He looked rich, with a white suit and leather brown shoes. Although, the rich air stopped just short of his head. The head of a goat was there, with white hair and curling horns next to his ears. He wore black glasses, and his fingers were reduced to three digits. Two of the digits looked like they should have been hooves.

"Very good, Sky Girl," he greeted her. "I admit, even with the limited information, I thought I collected everything I needed to know about you. Clearly, something went awry."

"Who are you?" Leni demanded.

"Oh, you can just call me Goat," he waved aside. "Besides, its not about what _I_ want, its what _you_ want, isn't that right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he explained, "Isn't this all you ever dreamed of? All you ever _lusted_ after? A good life? A loving family? Is it not all to your liking? If not, then we can begin again! We can make everything just the way you want it!"

Leni felt a tentative tug on her arm. She looked at her oldest, Benjamin.

"Mom?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

"Do you need anything Mom?" Avery asked.

"Do you need a nap?" Amy asked.

"Are you sick?" Barry and Bryce harmonized.

"You should turn in for a while," Audrey recommended. "Maybe just read a good book."

Leni looked down at the youngest. With wide _brown_ eyes, he looked up at her and pulled the pacifier out of his mouth.

"Mommy…?"

If Leni's heart broke before, it was shattering now. She felt tears well up in her eyes.

"It's perfect," she whispered hoarsely.

"Yes…?" Goat leaned over her.

"It's… too… perfect…" Leni looked up with watery eyes. "I can't stay here. Not when the real world's in danger. I already have a family back home, and if that's all I get, then... that's fine."

"Even if I never walk again?" Lincoln's voice haunted her eardrums.

Leni's shudder seemed to tremor out into the world around her.

"Yes," she answered.

"No," Goat started to panic. He looked up at the building around them. "Stop!"

Leni ignored him, and dropped to her knees, hugging her children.

"Stop this!" Goat bleated. "It can be better! I swear!"

"Mommy," Avery whispered. "I'm scared."

"I know, honey," Leni held them tightly. "Just hang on to me. It's going to be okay."

Leni's vision blacked out as the entirety of the building came crashing down on top of them.

* * *

Leni's vision returned in the middle of flight. She threw a punch that she already had cocked back past her shoulder.

She swung it with all her might, hitting Goat across his jaw and making him collapse on the floor.

Leni landed, trying her best not to stagger and fall herself. She looked around the warehouse. All the victims were here, lying on cots low to the ground. Leni couldn't think to count how many there were.

She put a finger to her earpiece.

"Guys?" she called. "Are you there?"

"_Yeah, we're here,_" Luna sounded unsure. "_Where else would we be_?"

"_What happened_?" Luan questioned.

"That's…" Leni shook her head. "That's what I want to know."

"_We found the guy by guessing his hideout_," Lincoln explained. "_Then he saw you, and you punched him_."

He said it like that should have been sufficient information. Leni breathed heavily, trying to calm her nerves.

"_You okay_?" Luna asked her.

"…Yeah," Leni answered with a sigh. "I'm okay."

She looked up at the victims slowly stirring. Some were waking up. It looked like they were going to be okay.

She pulled out the extra cuffs that Lisa was putting in overtime just to make.

"Let's just put this guy in jail already," Leni dismissed.


	19. Chapter 19

Leni set down the box next to the table and wiped her forehead. Manual labor was not much a strong suit for the girl, but it's a little more manageable with her slightly enhanced strength.

She looked back at the others following her, setting much of the same boxes of supplies and donations on the ground.

Leni had never been in this school before, barely heard of it outside of football game rivalries. The Exposed Generator Gathering Center was really just this school gymnasium, as well as some cleared out classrooms across the hall. The classrooms were repurposed as makeshift medical checkup rooms, and the culinary classroom was nearby, while the gym had folding tables set up like a cafeteria. Two old TVs were set up on carts at opposite corners of the room, one for the news, and the other for donated movies. Leni could tell it was old, because half the movies provided were on black, plastic cassette tapes. The other half DVDs.

They've had a lot of business here in the EGG Center. Unfortunately, instead of gathering those trying to come to terms with their powers or appearances, they ended up becoming more or less homeless shelters. Services were still provided, but for every one empowered person Leni saw, five more normal people cropped up around them.

"Alright, guys," Lori took charge. "I want everyone keeping busy. No layabouts! Leni, we're checking on our older guests, making sure everyone has everything they need. Blankets, extra clothes, food, the works. Luna, Luan, and Lynn, we still got donations out front. Big them in and stack them nice and neat. Lisa, the doctors said they want your expertise on some of the patients they have. Lucy, Lola, Lana, and Lincoln, I want you guys to keep an eye on the kids over there. There should be plenty of toys to play with, and some movies to put on. We also got story books and coloring books. I don't want any of them wondering off."

"And, you know, because I'm crippled, the kids are more likely to obey me," Lincoln added, "like… an air of guilt."

"Correct," Lori agreed. Lucy let a small smile slip while Lynn gave a cringe. Dark humor doesn't land with everybody. "You all have your jobs. Hop to it!"

Leni was happy to let Lori take the lead. She was happy to be doing something more than throwing punches. Making sure people get through a particularly cold day was one of them.

Of course, that sense of peace didn't last too long.

"Hey man, ease up!"

Leni looked up to see an older man shove away a teenager.

"Table's right over there!" the old man shouted. "Ain't no reason to take my food!"

"Whoa, whoa, hey!" Lori called out.

Leni ran between them, using her normal, teenage girl speed to close the distance.

"Like, is there something wrong?" Leni nervously prompted.

"This kid's trying to steal my food!" the older man accused.

Leni turned to the younger man. At first she thought he was wearing fur, but she soon realized that it was part of him. He wore a gray shirt with a faded logo, and cargo shorts, aside from that, he was barefoot. His body was covered in long light brown fur, grown and hanging low off his arms. The boy's hands had claw tips at the end of them extending their already impressive reach. His head was round with wide brown eyes. He looked like a sloth.

"I saw you, old man!" he answered with another accusation. "You tried sticking your hand in my pocket first!"

"The hell I did!" He put his hands up. "You try'na start somethin'?"

"I got claws old dude," the sloth noted. "What'chu got?"

"Alright!" Lori shouted over both of them. "That's enough! No fighting, or you're both out!"

She started to gently pull the older gentleman away, leaving Leni with the other. The two sisters shared eye contact and nodded in understanding.

Leni turned to the boy.

"What's your name?"

"…Sloan," he answered.

"Are you hungry?"

The boy held his stomach. "Freaking starving."

"Okay then."

Leni took his arm and led him to a mostly empty table on the other side of the room. The people sitting there saw them coming and cleared away from them, giving them the table to themselves.

Leni heard Luan muttering to Luna somewhere in the room.

"Boy," she said, "Who knew the EGG center was covered in eggshells?"

"Stop," Luna audibly shook her head. "Just stop."

Leni disappeared, cheating with her powers a little bit to go get some food from the other room. She returned with a paper bowl of reheated stew and set it down. Sloan started to dig in, almost forgetting the spoon she left in the bowl. He had wide shoulders, and Leni got the impression that if he was still human, he'd be… well, thicker around the middle.

"Don't get it," he muttered, after coming up to breathe. "You ain't scared of me?"

Leni shrugged. "You're people too. It's not your fault you got hurt."

"Hm." He grunted. "Didn't get hurt, though."

"Huh?" Leni tilted her head and knit her eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

"I started looking like this a couple of days ago," he spoke without much care or worry.

"You… you weren't exposed to the generator explosion?" Leni wondered.

"Nope," Sloan took another bite of stew.

"Then… how?" Leni fought to understand. "How did you end up…?"

"Don't know," he shrugged. "I was watching TV, then I got furry, then I got kicked out. Not that they were great parents anyways, but still…"

"Watching TV?" Leni wondered.

"Yeah," he nodded. "watching the super-slut get the crap kicked out of her by that lion guy. It was fun to watch."

Leni didn't answer. People are getting transformed, without the crystals the generator spread throughout the city?

This was going from bad to worse.

The news was turned up on a nearby television set. More trouble, a man-sized bullfrog was attacking a jewelry store. His black business suit was only slightly scuffed up. His wide head had red eyes on the side of his head. He exhaled, and opened his wide mouth, causing rushing winds to break the windows of the jewelry store and suck up the gold inside. When the gold and jewels were gone from the store front, he snapped his mouth shut, with a bulge in his throat, and sprang away on two long legs.

"Oh no," Leni sighed. She stood up. Lori saw the screen and made eye contact with her.

"I have to go find an officer," Leni excused herself. "Maybe there's one nearby."

She ran out of the gymnasium and into the bathroom. Away from prying eyes, she was able to change and fly out into the city where the villain was wreaking havoc.

"This was supposed to be a good day…" She muttered to herself.

* * *

Lana watched the screen, seeing the man attack buildings for their golden goods. Then Leni appeared, stomping him into the ground to stop his assault.

"Surrender now," her voice was covered in static from the old television. "And I'll see that you're treated fairly."

The amphibious fiend lashed out a tongue at her. She ducked and retaliated. Lana looked over from the tv to Lori, who ducked out of the room. Presumably, she was going to offer some kind of help to the superhero.

Lana watched, with her arms crossed on her knees, as Leni and the Frog man went back and forth. Leni caught the tongue as he tried to lash it out at her again.

_You'll never look like that. Like any of them. _

Lana watched, with her arms crossed on her knees, as Leni and the Frog man went back and forth. Leni caught the tongue as he tried to lash it out at her again. She yanked him off the car he was perched on.

"This scene is happening live at the shopping district in downtown Royal City," the reporter said. "Our hero Sky Girl has faced many battles, and never lost once."

_How can someone as ugly as you ever look like that? _

The screen was minimized to the corner of the screen.

"However," the reporter continued, "more of these criminals seem to revolve around animal like characteristics. Are these new empowered bigger threats than the old empowered? Eyewitnesses have claimed that a spike of these bizarre individuals have been on the rise since the initial attack of the now captured criminal and terrorist known as King. Now locked away in the newly built Victorious Penitentiary, sponsored by Victoria Grace, CEO of Victorious Industries."

They showed a clip of King roaring into the camera, followed shortly by him being locked into the back of a police van.

The reporter droned on, but Lana didn't hear any of it. There was a ringing in her ears. She didn't like it when they played the video of King. The villain was scary.

And it always made her feel sick to her stomach.

She clutched her stomach and stood up. She trotted to the bathroom, but it didn't feel anything like that this time.

Her skin felt hot. She felt a stabbing pain in her hands and feet, like a hundred hot needles poking her palms. Even her mouth started to ache.

This had never happened before!

She fell to the tiled floor of the bathroom. Something was… happening to her. She was changing. The seven-year-old knew it was coming, and she dreaded it.

_The best you can hope for is to be useful. You have to stand tall and _take _what you want!_

"Please…" she silently begged. "No…"

* * *

The frog man leapt into the air, and planted its feet down on Leni's chest, slamming her into a car.

As Leni groaned, the criminal hopped off of her and jumped away. Leni got up and looked around, but he was no where to be seen.

She warily stood up and took to the sky. She scanned the streets, then moved to the rooftops.

"Dang it," Leni sighed. "He got away."

She flew in a random direction, listening for any clues, but she couldn't hear anything.

_You can hear a scream from miles away, but you can't hear a criminal on the run?_

She sighed. This arbitrary hearing power isn't going to catch the bad guys today.

"_Leni_?" Lori called over the com. "_You okay_?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I'm fine, but he got away."

"_Okay_." Lori seemed to hesitate. "_Can you come back to the EGG Center? We got this lady freaking out, and… You might have better luck with her than I'm having right now_. _Some of the staff are trying to calm her down, but…_"

"Wait. As Leni, or Sky Girl?"

"…_Both. Either. Up to you. Just hurry_."

Leni made her way back to the school gym, dropping down in full costume.

Maybe Sky Girl can calm things down?

She walked into the building and the crowd of people stopped and stared at her. They seemed to be huddled into even tighter groups. She gave a reassuring wave as everyone tried to make sense of her. She even spotted Lincoln paused from his reading with other kids. She walked up to one of the staff, a teenager with a team shirt.

"Someone called for me?" She explained. "About a panicking woman?"

The boy nodded, too shocked for words. He escorted her to one of the classrooms nearby, where some of the volunteers were sitting and standing with a homeless woman. Her eyes brightened up when Leni walked into the room.

"You!" She lunged forward.

Leni grabbed her gloved hands and held them up. The poor woman looked like she didn't know what to do with them.

"Hi," She smiled at the poor woman. She looked beyond tired. "How can I help you?"

"The toilet," she stammered. "I- I mean, the restroom. I thought I heard someone… y'know, moaning. And then she was screaming, and… she sounded like a kid or something? I opened the door and… it looked like a lizard, or something, y'know? And I just… it just…"

"It's okay," Leni did her best to settle her, "I'll handle it. Can you tell me where she went?"

"She… she went into the vents, I think?"

"Okay," Leni set the woman's hands down. "I'll take care of it. You stay here and rest."

"Yeah." The woman nodded, returning to her seat. "O-okay."

Leni turned to the door, meeting Lori.

As Sky Girl.

Surrounded by strangers.

_Keep it together_.

Leni coughed into her fist. "Is something wrong?"

"Er, right," Lori awkwardly led. "Over here."

A few paces later, Lori carried on.

"I've done a head count," she told Leni under her breath. "Literally eight times now. I thought it was because Lily was with Mom and Dad, but we're missing Lana."

"What?"

"Someone said she went into the bathroom," Lori further explained. "The older girls and I have been calling up and down this school for a while now. We don't know where she is."

Her eyes were brimming. Leni was too. A seven-year-old girl is missing.

One of their _sisters_ is missing.

They turned a corner to see Lola had wandered out of the gymnasium. She looked wide eyed and scared; a look that did not belong on her scheming little face.

"Where's Lana?" she asked in too small a voice.

Leni got down on her knee.

"I'll find her," Leni took her hands. "I promise."

...Though she had no idea where to start.

She looked to the hall, spotting the restrooms nearby.

"Lana went in there," Lori pointed out. "At least, that's what I was told."

Leni braced herself and entered the bathroom.

"Wrong one, Le-… Ma'am," Lori helpfully offered.

Leni, red faced, hoped nobody saw that.

She looked into the lady's room and scanned the stalls. A bright color caught her eye in the last stall. She walked over and saw it was a bright red hat. The floor tiles were covered in little bits of… dandruff? Flakes? Maybe it was plaster?

"Oh god," Lori spoke behind her.

Lana loved this hat. She had a _Hey, Arnold!_ doll a couple years ago. And when she saw the hat in a store, she _had _to have it. Lola didn't quite kick up such a fuss compared to Lana. Lana hadn't really cared for any other clothes since. It was all they could do just to get her to take a bath. The doll is still in her room somewhere, but she kept the hat with her through thick and thin.

"The vents…" Lori pointed out.

Leni looked up and saw the open square that went up into the ventilation system. No sign of where the vent was. Tufts of dusty debris occasionally drifted through the open hole.

Leni subconsciously laced the hat in her belt loop.

"I'm going to check it out," she declared.

"Okay," Lori relented as Leni poked her head through the vent. "Just… be careful."

With that, Leni looked down both corridors, and spotted something at the end of one. The space was cramped, but she could fit with her shoulders scrapping the sides. Her flight made moving through the vents easy enough, but she took it slow. Dust was undoubtedly accumulating on her clothes.

She reached the object she spotted. It was dry, like a leaf in the fall. It crinkled and rustled in the wind passing through the vents. Leni struggled to get her arm in front of her and picked up the white leaf.

"More flakes?" she wondered.

"S-SKY GIRL!"

Leni jumped in the vent, making her hit the roof, and then falling to the bottom in short succession.

…_Now_ she was covered in dust.

She managed to climb her way out of the vent (flying backwards was _such_ a chore) and drop down to see a new face waiting for her.

"Uh-um," the volunteer pointed. "I think that missing girl is outside."

Without another word, Leni dashed out of the room and out into the street. She saw her siblings jumping up and down and waving their arms.

"Lana!" Lynn called out with all her lungs.

"Lana, get down from there!" Lori ordered.

"Lana!" Lola cried out desperately.

Leni followed their gazes, up to the rooftops of the opposite building. At the roof of the apartment complex, Leni could just make out a head of loose blonde hair before it turned away from them.

"I'll get her," Leni promised.

She flew up above the rooftops and spotted the girl. She was blonde like Lana, but she didn't look anything like her. For one thing, she wasn't wearing any clothes. For another, she was covered in scales, and had a long tail curled up behind her. The closest thing she had to covering herself up was a layer of the same flaking material over her shoulder and legs.

That couldn't be Lana.

But she was running towards the opposite edge of the building!

"Don't!" Leni shouted.

The little creature leapt through the air, practically soaring up to Leni's height. She cleared the gap between the buildings and landed on the roof of the adjacent apartment building.

"Whoa," Leni heard herself say.

She chased the runaway across the building, and then another. And now this next one was three stories higher than the rest.

"Stop!" Leni warned as she lowered herself. This girl was awfully small… "It's too high up!"

She leapt to the building without another thought. She latched onto the sides, using the claws on her fingers and toes, and started scaling the wall effortlessly.

Leni watched in awe as the little girl climbed over the ledge. She looked back at the floating teen before running away again. Her face was covered in a mask of that same flaking substance Leni found earlier.

"Get away from me!" she called out.

"Wait!" Leni pleaded. "We can talk this out!"

She didn't listen and made her way to the construction site nearby. The building looked half finished, and a lot of windows had yet to be installed.

No use in trying to talk her down anymore. Just bring her in, and then calm her down.

Leni flew up and tackled the girl as her feet left the ledge. She wrapped her arms around the little girl. She was tall for her age; surely this couldn't be Lana.

The lizard tailed girl thrashed in her grip.

"No, no!" she tried to wriggle out of Leni's arms. Her claws started to dig into her. "Let me go!"

"Calm down!" Leni shouted. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

"Let. Me. Go!"

She swiped at Leni, slashing her across the face. Leni yelped and let go, letting her fall and catch herself onto the construction site. Her mask fell to the floor next to the lizard girl, before she disappeared inside.

Leni drifted down and picked up her mask. She felt the marks on her face, but they were already healing. With her mask fixated on her face, she stepped inside.

"_Leni_?" Lori called in. "_Did you find her_?"

"No," Leni answered. "I'm not sure its Lana."

"_It has to be_," Lori pressed. "_We all saw her. She… Something's wrong, Leni. She dumped her clothes on the roof of the school._"

She paused before restating, "_Something's wrong_."

Leni, not sure how to answer, moved on inside. Due to the sun now setting in the horizon, the beams of sunlight were hitting the windowless structure sideways, illuminating the floor they were on. The floor also had a wide open floor, and few walls. Still places for her to hide.

"Lana…?" Leni cautiously called out. Then, with more force, "Lana!"

There was no answer, but there was a shadow stretching out across the floor. Leni floated over to the wall, she wasn't trying to sneak up on her, but it hadn't occurred to her to make noise.

She rounded the corner and saw the girl trying to listen out for her. Half of the "mask" that covered her face was missing, exposing the scaly face underneath. She gasped when she saw Leni and turned to run.

"Lana, wait-"

The girl's tail lashed out, cracking like a whip and striking Leni's cheek. Leni turned her head and set her feet down on the ground. The side of her face stung, arguably more than being slashed earlier. Leni looked back to the girl, who was paused, stunned, and staring back at Leni.

"Lana," Leni spoke, her voice a little more forceful. She took another step forward.

"No!" Lana twisted her body around, extending the tail she had, and hitting Leni like a truck. Leni was slammed into the wall, and it cracked behind her with the force of the impact. Leni collapsed to the floor; the wind effectively knocked out of her.

"Never look like you," Leni heard the girl say. "I've never looked like _any_ of you!"

Leni looked up to see a tail whip around the corner of the wall.

"And now I _never_ will!"

Leni coughed and got back up.

"Lana," she called after her. "Lana, wait!"

She rounded the corner and saw that she disappeared again.

"How are you doing that?" Leni wondered out loud.

"Leave me alone!" her voice echoed around the building. "He wants to eat you!"

"Who does?" Leni walked around, trying to pinpoint the voice. "Tell me what's wrong."

"The Lion!" Lana answered. "He wants…" She sounded like she was sobbing. "He wants me to kill you…"

"Lana," Leni called out again. The words chilled her to the core. It was impossible to tell who was more scared at the moment. "Let's go home, Lana. Let's get you looked at."

"No!"

Something slammed into Leni out of thin air, knocking her to the ground. In a desperate bid to retaliate, she grabbed the foreign object and held tight. When Leni looked to see what she was grabbing, it looked like thin air.

"Let me go, let me go!"

"Lana," Leni demanded. "Stop this right now!"

The tail went lax in her grip. The air under her hands started to shimmer, and reveal the scaled nature of the hidden attacker. Leni followed the trail until she saw Lana: naked, sobbing, and covered in scales in a green diamond pattern all over her body. Her eyes were still grey, but now the whites of her eyes were yellow. The scales seemed to blend under and with her hairline.

She gave an ugly sniff.

"I just…" she wiped her face with her arm, "I didn't want to look like this…"

Leni went over and scooped up the seven-year-old, holding her to her chest as she shushed her sobbing. Her lizard tail wrapped around her midsection.

"It's okay, it's okay," she promised. "I got you now."

Lana bawled into her shirt. Letting out bitter tears that Leni couldn't even guess how long she'd been holding.

After a few minutes, she asked her, "Tell me what happened."

"I-I…" She sobbed between words. "I was w-watching tv. A-and the lion guy came on, a-and I didn't feel good. A-and then I tur-urned into this."

She went back into Leni's shoulder, fresher tears flowing. Leni felt like joining her.

"Shhhh," Leni cooed. "It's okay… It's okay. We're going to get this fixed up, okay?"

Lana nodded into her shoulder. Before she forgot, Leni pulled off the hat on her belt and tucked it onto her head.

"Got your hat," she offered. "Now your not naked anymore."

She got half a giggle in response, but it went back to being somber. It was something. All hope isn't lost yet.

"Lana," Leni told her, "I don't know if what you said is... how you really feel, but I want you to know something. I don't want you to look like me. You're not me, and you're never going to be like me. You're going to grow up one day, and you're going to be beautiful. In the way that only the amazing Lana Loud can be beautiful, okay?"

Lana squeezed her older sister tighter. She answered with a nod in her shoulder.

"Okay," Leni took a breath. "Let's go home."

Leni, holding her tight, took off from the building, and into the night sky.

It was going to be a long night at home.

* * *

Mom didn't take it well at first.

All the sobbing and crying started all over again when Rita saw what happened to Lana. She was a tough lady, but it was like she was mourning over the girl hugging her back. It took a minute to convince her to let go of Lana long enough for Lisa to work.

"Based on what the both of you have told me," Lisa rubbed her eyes under her glasses. She really needed rest more than any of them. "I can guess that the villain King is directly responsible for Lana's condition."

"How?" Luan spoke for the room. "How could he…?"

"His call, over the television. The networks have been playing your victory over him nonstop over the past few months. Several other patients have explained largely the same trigger as Lana did. The more they hear that footage, the more they start mutating."

Lori walked out of the room, dialing on her phone. Was she calling Hobbs?

"I can also guess that he's somehow controlling them, or at least instructing them with some sort of… organic communication method. Without the usage of wires or radio signals."

"You can say telepathy," Lincoln noted. "We won't judge."

"I would judge," Lisa quipped back. "Anyways. I subjected Lana to my _Brain Scrambler_. I designed it to help me generate new ideas for inventions, but it was a failure. Fortunately, it has a new use for blocking out any…"

As she struggled with the words, Lincoln leaned over in his chair.

"Telepathic signals," he filled in.

"Not calling it that," she muttered under her breath. She sighed and settled on "External influence."

"Lana, sweetie?" Lynn Sr got down to one knee. "How do you feel, honey?"

"I think I'm okay," Lana looked down at herself. She was now wearing a loose nightgown and some ill-fitting shorts that Leni would have to redesign later. "I'm kind of hungry, though."

"Not for rats, I hope," Luna cringed in the doorway.

"Nah," she shrugged. "But I kind of want pizza."

Dad sighed, shaking his head.

"Okay," he decided. "I'll go get some late-night pizza."

"Are you going to be okay going to sleep tonight?" Rita fretted. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

"Um," Lana shrunk in her seat. "I dunno."

"I'll sleep with you, honey," Rita volunteered. "Just in case."

Everyone shuffled out of the room and in different directions. This new development was… hard to swallow.

Leni blinked. How is Lola taking all of this?

The thought seemed to occur to everyone now in the hallway, as the twins faced each other in front of their room. Leni realized with a start that they were the same height. They couldn't have grown up _that_ much, could they?

Lola's face was unreadable. She didn't move for a minute.

"Lola, honey," Rita stood over them, "do you want to-"

Lola left and walked downstairs in her nightgown. Lana lowered her head, and started sniffing and suppressing tears.

"Oh, Lana, baby," Rita got down and hugged her daughter. "Don't worry. She's just trying to wrap her head around it. This is a big change for all of us, and we're all going through it, right with you."

"I know, but-"

Lana didn't finish. Leni looked to Lori, asking a silent question. She shook her head in response. Nothing could be done.

Then, everyone paused as Lola came stomping back up the stairs. Her little arms were filled with blankets from the closet downstairs. Everyone stared at her.

"I read somewhere that snakes like warm spots," Lola explained. "Like in boxes and stuff. So, I thought you'd need more of these."

Lana, with eyes tearing up, knocked the blankets out of her twins hand and wrapped her arms around her neck in a loving embrace. A few more tears were shed around the room.

"Ack!" Lola complained. "Okay, okay! Don't get all mushy on me!"


	20. Chapter 20

Another day, another criminal.

As Leni rode with the Detective to the new Penitentiary, she took a moment to breathe, and relax.

"How'd you find the guy again?" Hobbs questioned. "With the amount he stole the first time, he should've been sitting pretty for a little while."

"Caught him trying to take more," Leni answered. "Apparently Void-Frog is too greedy for his own good."

Hobbs raised an eyebrow. "Void-Frog? Cause of that vacuum thing he does?"

Leni shrugged in a "I-don't-know" answer.

"He named himself," she added.

Hobbs shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road. And on the transport truck they were following.

"Heard about what happened to your sister," he commented after a while. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah," Leni nodded. "I think she's getting used to it. Mom and Dad are still a little freaked out."

"This is new ground for them," Hobbs offered. "It's always different when it's your kid."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I guess so."

A minute passed.

"I still love her, though."

"Of course you do," Hobbs gently agreed. "But there's going to be an adjustment period. But I'm sure I don't have to tell you that."

Leni nodded, remembering bringing their brother home from the hospital. Having the wheelchair. Needing help with a bath. Getting dressed the first couple of times. All of which Lincoln found completely humiliating, and he stated as such.

Now we have something new to deal with. A mixture of biology that maybe shouldn't be. Can Lana handle the cold anymore? Does she need a whole new diet? How does her new body react to certain stimuli?

All these questions and more were things Lisa spat out before being forced to go to take a nap earlier today.

Leni sighed. An exhausting ache settled into her limbs and shoulders, one that goes beyond the encounter with the froggy thief she had to wrestle down to the ground. It feels like her victories are only half of the prize she wanted. Sure, you saved your sister, but she looks like a lizard now. Sure, you caught the bad guy, but you didn't prevent him from ruining the livelihoods of over a dozen people.

You caught King, but not before he could further corrupt the city with his voice.

_Why can't things go right for once?_

"Heads up," Hobbs brought her back. "We're here."

They pulled into the driveway of this massive, wide building. Stone bricks, bars over the windows, electrical wiring with something whirring nearby. It was certainly the biggest house Leni had ever seen; more than qualified for mansion status. And it was the only prison she would (hopefully) ever set foot in.

A doctor surrounded by guards exited the front doors, walking down to meet Leni and the police escort with an upturned nose.

"What an interesting specimen we have here," he examined the prisoner being wheeled out. "And what is his name?"

"Void-" Leni caught herself. "Erm…"

"Edward Hopper," Hobbs answered for her. "He's a little looney, but he's pretty crafty. We'll be escorting this one to his cell with you. As an extra precaution of course."

Right. Leni had almost forgotten. Their mission here was two-fold. They needed to observe the goings on of the Prison themselves. No incidents were reported, but that was sort of the problem. No police were stationed here; it was all hired guards donated to the positions by Victorious Industries.

Quite effectively, it was a private prison, with a private police force, being funded directly by an Industry giant known for fashion and clothing lines. And with all that's been going on, no one's even had the thought to question it.

Before Hobbs brought it to Leni's attention.

"Ah," the doctor noted. He had a pointed patch of hair on his chin, goggles on his forehead, and… a lot of hair curled upwards on the sides of his head. All ends were curved to a point, almost making horns. When he spoke, it was with a somewhat faded German accent.

Leni could tell. She wasn't good with a lot, but she was good with accents.

"I can assure you, Officer… Hobbs, was it?" he descended the stairs. "Such an escort is not necessary. We will take it from here."

"_Oh, this guy just screams 'mad scientist'_," Luan commented.

"_Let's… not jump to conclusions, girls_," Rita tried to calm the call.

"_Ten bucks says she has to fight a giant robot later_," Lola audibly waved a stack of bills in the air. "_Any takers_?"

"_You're on_," Lincoln challenged.

"If it's all the same to you, Doctor Fiend," Hobbs insisted. "We'll come along anyway."

"_Find_," the doctor said. "It's pronounced '_Find_.'"

"_Sure it is_," Luna mocked.

He turned on his heel and twirled in his finger in the air: a non-verbal command for the heavy guards around him. They fanned out around the stretcher holding Froggy, and not-so-gently nudged the escorting police out of the way. They started wheeling him inside and, with a shared look, Leni and Hobbs followed.

As soon as they entered, the lobby had a line of metal detectors and guards with wands, like at an airport. Mr. Hopper was wheeled through first, not setting anything off. Hobbs walked through, and set the alarms off.

"So sorry, Officer Dobbs," Doctor Fiend apologized without a hint of sorrow. Or the correct name. "No guns, badges, or phones beyond this point. Safety reasons, you understand."

"I don't," He answered, keeping a hand protectively over his sidearm.

"Hm." Was the only response he got from the good doctor. No further insistence was made about his belongings.

Leni stepped in next. Would they ask her to remove her mask and earpiece?

The alarm didn't go off.

"Hm." Doctor Fiend commented.

"_Not going to be that easy, plebian,_" Lisa muttered, followed by a yawn. "_Updated recently; your camera mask and earpiece contain no metal to detect_."

Leni made a mental note to give Lisa a big hug when she saw her.

"Come along," the Doctor stepped off with his nose held high. "If you must inspect our facility."

There was a staircase that went downwards to a basement level. The upper level only had a hint of the décor it had in it's earlier days. None of that existed for the below levels. As soon as they stepped onto the stairs, the walls, roofing, and flooring were replaced by concrete and poorer lighting.

"The main and upper floors are primarily for staff and visitors," the Doctor explained, giving the tour. "As fortune would have it, the original designer of the house became quite paranoid during the Cold War. It took a considerable amount of his finances, but he converted the basement of the house into a shelter with multiple floors and rooms. Unfortunately, it's too close to the surface for adequate protection from a nuclear event, but I suppose paranoia overrules common sense. Don't you think?"

Leni opened her mouth to answer but was cut off.

"Of course, you do," Doctor Fiend rambled on. "It's the only logical choice. Fear overshadows all rational thought. If you were to put a rat in a room with spikes, with one wall open to escape, it will always try to go through that door, regardless if that direct route is what kills them. Even if you tell it that the center of the room is the safest place for them, they'll break down crying."

Leni and Hobbs share another look.

"The rat will?" Leni wondered.

"Yes…" Doctor Fiend straightened his bow tie. "The rat."

As they descended the stairs, Leni realized something else. Everywhere she's gone to in the city, people will stop and stare at her. Not that she minded. The amazement and awe on people's faces were unmistakable. Sometimes it was humor. Sometimes it's even questioning her presence. Regardless, everyone stared.

Not these guys. At least, not in any kind way. The guards when she entered all wore heavy armor and helmets. The ones that didn't had tattoos on their necks, and almost seemed to sneer at her. Or, failing that, held a different, more malicious form of humor on their visage. Even one of the guards wheeling Void-Frog down step-by-step, bump-by-bump, kept turning back to her with a hidden look behind that helmet and visor.

They reached the basement floor, and Leni looked around. It was a wide open hall, with metal doors lining the walls. Each door had a big turning wheel in the middle of them; like what you'd find in a submarine. The doors had little slots above the wheel; one for food trays, and the other for viewing. Though, Leni doubted you could see anything through such thick and tiny windows. The lighting was mediocre at best, and one of the hanging lamps down the hall flickered. Muffled noises came behind most of the doors, but Leni couldn't make out anything.

Honestly, she didn't want to. She couldn't even think to count how many rooms there were.

"Here's your cell, Mister Hopper," Doctor Fiend waved over to one of the doors. The Guard was opening it. "I _hop_ you enjoy your stay."

"_Ugh_," Luan complained. "_When he does it, it just sounds wrong_."

"_They all sound wrong_," Luna countered. "_Living with you has ruined any chance of me enjoying puns_."

"_Shhh. Girls_!" Rita scolded. "_Don't distract her_!"

Leni watched intently as the guards started to offload Void-Frog into the cell. The room was tiny. It had a bed and a toilet, but there was hardly any room to stand in, let alone walk around.

"_Geez_," Lincoln mumbled. "_Makes my room look like the Ritz_."

"_With this guy, the rooms are more like the Fritz_," Luan solemnly chuckled. Luna groaned, wordlessly.

As soon as Frog was free, he crouched down and sprung up into the air.

Leni would have been on top of him, but as she willed herself to move forward, she took a step and almost fell forward. She looked down at her feet in confusion. Why isn't she flying?

The guard that unstrapped him beat her to it. He threw his arms up and caught the Frog man by his waist before he could clear them. He then threw the criminal into the cell and the others slammed the door in front of him.

"No need to worry," the doctor tried to settle on a moniker. "…Sweetie." That was the wrong one. "Our power dampeners keep the prisoners from escaping. I understand you donated the designs yourself?"

"My… friend did." Leni corrected.

"Ah," he nodded. "So, more of a doer, are we?"

"Uh, I guess so?" Why did that sound like an insult?

Leni shivered as she felt something creep up her spine. She turned her head to the voice, recognizing it. She couldn't fly, but her hearing was still... well, not completely useless.

She walked across the hall, peeking in to see Crusher in his cell, his head hung low. Leni had to pull herself up by the ledge of the window. Her fingers were already complaining. The next cell held Goat; crouched and facing away from the door. The next one had Leech on the floor, sitting against the wall. He stared off into space with a blank expression. Leni spotted Springlock and Mole-man before she reached the very end of the hall.

She pulled herself up, leaning to see inside the cell. The small visual the door provided gave nothing away at first, but was suddenly filled with teeth and claws.

Leni jumped, as she was startled by King attacking the door. Then she heard him laughing.

"Little mice shouldn't play in a place like this," His voice was muffled through the door. Leni suspected she was the only one that could hear him. "How's your sister?"

Leni blinked, and scrunched up her nose.

"Better than you," she crossed her arms. "How's the cell?"

Even through the small glass, Leni could see his evil eyes and sickening grin. "Oh, I have everything I need, little mouse. Right here. Even from this box, I command a kingdom from miles away."

"Your 'subjects' are all in here with you," Leni rebutted. She wanted to hurt him, and she couldn't throw a punch down here, so words would have to do. "Your plan failed. We figured out that its you messing with people's heads. And that your roar can make people transform."

"_Can she hear him_?" Rita wondered. "_I can't hear him_."

"_Shh_!"

"Have you now?" He bemused. "Well, well. It seems I've been beat. No point in trying anymore, is there?"

"That's right," Leni nodded with finality.

Except…why is he being so smug?

"What do you want, exactly?"

King laughed again. His massive frame must fill all corners of that box.

"Oh, it's not what _I_ want, little mouse," he answered. "It's what _they_ want."

"They?"

"The higher ups, of course," he explained. "Martial Law is still on the table, you know. And it opens so many _business_ opportunities with the locals. Criminal empires weren't built in a day you know. And do you really think that any government official will simply give up their power?"

"You're not making any sense," Leni snapped at him.

"Control is happening," King taunted. "Whether you understand it or not. The world toils on, regardless of what you do. You should try to vie for control too, while there's still enough to go around."

Leni felt a hand on her shoulder, and spun around to Hobbs. His face was hard, straining to keep something back.

"Frog's locked away," he explained. "Let's get going."

"_He must have found something_." Lincoln noted.

"_I think we did too,_" Luna shivered.

They made their way back up the stairs. Back in the light of the mansion, Leni flexed her grip to test her strength. It wasn't quite back yet.

"Oh darling, you _are_ here!"

Leni's head snapped up and looked over to the entrance of the mansion. A woman in a flowing dress and expensive purse raised her arms in celebration as she strutted towards the teen. She had a bright smile, cutting eyes sharpened by eyeliner, and her hair bounced and flowed perfectly around her shoulders. With her dress complicating her dark skin tone (or, was it the other way around?), Leni could tell she had money to spare. Despite the gold jewelry dotting her fingers and wrapped around her wrists, she didn't set off the metal detector when she walked through. The woman was so pretty, Leni started to blush.

"Who's that?" Luna wondered.

"Victoria Grace," Leni mindlessly answered. She was blown away by her presence.

The richest woman in the world skittered to a stop in her thousand-dollar heels and wrapped her arms around Leni in a big, dramatic hug.

"Oh. My. Goodness!" she announced as she pulled back, her hands still on the girl's shoulders. "Look at you! Would you look at her? Look at her! The angel of Royal city! How do you do it, honey?"

Leni stood there gaping like a fish. Some part of her eventually registered to say something.

"Help." She sputtered. "Lot's of help."

Her face heated up even more. _Oh God, shut up! Just stop saying stuff right now!_

"Oh, I bet!" Miss Grace playfully slapped her shoulder. "Oh, honey. I have to know, who did your suit? It looks; so fab!"

Leni felt she was going to combust at any moment. She beamed with pride.

"I made it myself," she answered.

"No," Miss Grace stepped back and looked at her up and down. "Shut. Up!"

Leni smiled with her hands twisted behind her back.

"Oh honey," she sounded amazed. "Brave, kind, cute, _and_ creative! Uh! Please tell me you're not spoken for."

"Huh?" Leni tilted her head.

"Where do you work right now?" Miss Grace questioned. "Are you interested in working in design with me?"

"I…" Leni blinked. "I'm still in high school."

"Well," Miss Grace beamed at her. "I hope we can recruit you, Leni. You have an eye for the divine. I would be sent over the moon to know if we had and honest-to-goodness superhero in our little family!"

Leni felt like her face would split, her smile was so big. She was on cloud nine. Along with all of the other numbered happy clouds.

"I hate to interrupt, Miss Grace," Hobbs stepped in. "But I'd like to introduce myself."

"Oh, no need!" Miss Grace gracefully shook his hand. "The good detective! Jacob Hobbs, it is _very_ good to meet you."

She gave an obviously flirty look. Hobbs gave a friendly smile back. Leni felt like turning away. It was like watching her parents flirt with each other.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," he greeted. "But I'm afraid I have to ask some questions."

"Oh, I completely understand!" Miss Grace waved away. "You're only doing your job."

Job. Job?

Oh no.

"Oh Shhhoot," Leni gasped. "I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about… Can I talk to you later?"

She was asking Grace more than Hobbs, but they both nodded.

"Okay, sweetie," Grace waved her off. "You do your super-thing and we can talk later."

Hobbs was about to add something, but Leni was hurredly rushing out the door. Her flight and speed were back, and just in time. She took to the sky, back to the city.

"_Honey, what's wrong_?" Rita asked over the com. "_Is someone in trouble?_"

"I am! I just remembered I agreed to come back to work today," Leni answered her. "And I'm already late!"

* * *

Leni changed at home and flew over to the mall. She landed on the roof and used the maintenance door to walk down the hall and onto the main floor.

And no one even spared her a second glance when she stepped out. She was back to regular business as usual.

She walked through the entrance of Reininger's and sighed with relief as she made it to the punch out clock in the back room.

No sooner did she clock in was she bombarded by a voice she'd never heard before.

"Lazy girl!" the man shouted. "What are you doing?"

Leni spun around to the man. He was an Indian man, with a pointed nose, had his hands on his sides, a pot belly, and a gnarled ear bent sideways. His name tag read "Dev," but Leni learned later it was pronounced like "Dave."

Was he a manager?

"I just…" Leni cleared her throat. "I'm sorry for being late, but my brother needed help with-"

"Aht-tut-tut!" he waved his hand in front of her. "There's no such thing as excuses! Go fold the changing room stalls! Go. Now!"

Leni hurried out of the back room and towards the changing stalls. Sure enough, people had been leaving the clothes they tried on all over the place. Had they not been checked all day?

Leni set to work, looking out over the store with each trip back and forth from the stalls. The store was slow going, but that was normal for the middle of a weekday. Even considering all that's been going on. She looked over to the registers to see Fiona, leaning over the counter with her chin in one hand and looking bored out of her mind. She made eye contact with Leni across the store and waved miserably.

That's odd. Whenever it's slow, Miss Carmichael will have them push new lines out on the floor or make a check of the store for disheveled or misplaced products. She'd even let them socialize, as long as the three of them were still doing the work.

Then Dev appeared out of Leni's field of vision and said something with a lot of hand gestures. Leni _could_ have used her super hearing to listen to what was said, but she _really_ didn't want to. Fiona rolled her eyes and pulled out a spray bottle from under the desk. She started cleaning the fairly spotless counter.

Leni looked over to see Miguel with his back to her. He was setting the display table in the children's corner, with growing visible frustration. Dev appeared again and they started arguing. Not that Leni wanted to hear them, but as far she could tell, Dev was trying to stuff all the clothes they had in storage onto the table all at once.

Leni got back to work. What in the world happened?

She turned around with her last load and jumped with a start that Dev had appeared behind her again.

"Leni!" he scolded. "What are you doing?"

Leni blinked at him. Shouldn't he know that already?

"Finishing up," Leni answered. He harped in the second the last letter was out of her mouth.

"You're taking too long," he complained. "Go help Miguel. He doesn't know what he's doing."

Leni blinked again. Miguel was one of the hardest workers here!

"Where's Miss Carmichael?" Leni asked Dev.

"Away."

"Okay," Leni tried again. "Like, away where?"

Dev sighed for at least four Mississippi.

"Miss Car-cone-knee," he answered. "Had to go away to a funeral instead of running the store. They sent me to cover for her."

"When will she be back?"

"Don't know. I'll worry about that for you. You worry about what I tell you to worry about."

Leni was taken aback. What a… rude… rude little man!

Leni dumped the load of leftover clothing in the basket and briskly made her way over to Miguel.

"Hey, Miguel," Leni started folding some disheveled clothes set to the side. Miguel looked up at her with a start, but then gave a tired smile.

"Hey, Leni," he greeted. He gestured to the rest of the store. "Welcome to the circus."

Leni looked at him. He looked frayed, for lack of a better term. He was always smiling, and had a good sense of humor, but he was never this… cynical.

"How long has…?" She whispered while looking over at Dev. He was dabbing the sweat off his bald head with a handkerchief, looking something over on a clipboard.

Miguel picked up the hint and answered immediately. "A couple of weeks. Honestly, that…" he sounded like he was about to swear, but bit his lip. "He's been running everything to the ground. My shift can't end fast enough."

"What's he been doing?"

"Enforcing every rule he can think of," Miguel bitterly answered. "Reminding all of us that he's constantly in charge, and screwing up the schedule. You know he gave away freebies to ten different customers yesterday?"

Leni looked wide eyed. Freebies were for particularly unruly costumers. The system doesn't always get prices right at the register, so Leni and the other's would have to fix them to match what was on the floor. Did he give every customer who questioned him a freebie?

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Leni, I shouldn't have answered him."

"About what?"

"He saw your name on the schedule and asked me who it was," he explained. "I tried to tell him you were having some family trouble and were L-O-A, but he wouldn't listen and demanded you come in."

"Oh," Leni remembered it was Fiona who called her telling her about her shift. She sounded super remorseful about it over the voicemail.

"Lazy girl!" Dev called from the register. Fiona was missing. "It's time for your break!"

Leni blinked and looked at the hanging clock over the entrance. She'd been working for an hour.

"It's too early!" she answered the man as politely as she could. "You're supposed to work two-"

"No sass!" he declared. "Go take your break!"

Leni looked to Miguel, who sighed and shook his head.

Leni went to the break room and found Fiona there, drinking some fruity health drink like she was at a bar.

"Hey, Fiona," Leni greeted as she sat down.

"Hey, Leni," the girl rubbed her eyes and groaned. "I shouldn't have called you."

"It's okay," Leni assured her. "I probably need to pick up some hours anyways."

"Not worth it," she pulled at the skin under her eyes. "Miss Carmichael might not be coming back."

"What?"

"She said they were thinking of moving her to a different store," Fiona explained. "After the funeral business with her uncle."

"But… Who would run the store?"

"Best guess."

"Dev?"

"Dev," she set her head down on the table.

"Lazy."

The girl turned to the manager standing in the doorway. Maybe he just didn't see her nametag?

"It's Leni," Leni tapped on the plastic pinned to her shirt.

"We need to talk about your availability," he approached her with the clipboard.

"Come on, dude!" Fiona complained. "We're not even five minutes on our break and you have to bother us? God!"

Ignoring her, Dev continued. "I can't find your old availability on the schedule. Why haven't you been working the past few months?"

Leni felt awkward. She couldn't very well answer "because I'm a superhero."

"Leni's been taking care of her family," Fiona answered in her defense. "Her dad's restaurant burned to the ground and-"

"How is that my problem?"

"…And her brother almost _died_," Fiona finished with growing irritation. "He's stuck to a wheelchair and needs help around the house."

"Um, he is getting better," Leni offered, though she wasn't sure why. "He's going to physical therapy to help him walk-"

"Good," Dev answered without a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "Then you can open tomorrow after closing tonight."

"Jesus, dude!" Fiona threw her arms up. "How can you…? You know what? Forget it. I'm out. Done for the day. See y'all tomorrow."

She got up and stormed out of the room.

After an awkward pause, Leni stood up.

"Mr. Dev," she started out. "I'm sure being a manager is stressful and all, but I can't be here as much as you want me to. I'm sorry. I have a lot going on at home, and my parents need my help with-"

"I don't need to hear this sob story from you," Dev waved his hand flippantly between them. "You teenagers think the world revolves around you. You are clearly a ditzy, lazy girl who can't be bothered with work. Do you want to come in and make money tomorrow morning or not?"

Leni was gob smacked. She never had to deal with someone like this before. Someone so… dismissive of other people. She didn't even want to use her family like an excuse, but her parents agreed that it was her best option at the moment! Everything she'd gone through in the past year means nothing to him! Every villain. Every loss. Every fight and life or death situation she had ever been in, all coming to this point. All of it, for this sad, disgraceful human being. Someone who can't see a foot past his long pointy nose!

_I looked a mass murderer in the eyes today, what did _you _do?!_

Leni stopped herself, and forced herself to take a breath.

"No," she said calmly. "I quit."

She walked out of the store. She waited for the bus and made her way home. She could have flown, but she wasn't feeling all that heroic.

The spell of dissociation lasted until she was walking the steps to her house. She opened the front door to see the crowd playing and rough housing in the living room. Lincoln was out of his chair, on crutches. Apparently he was having a race with Lily. Luna and Luan watched with vigilance. Lola was trying to decorate Lana's reptilian tail with stickers, much to her annoyance. Lynn was too busy laughing to help either of them, and Lucy looked on with quiet amusement. Lisa looked up from her book and waved Leni over.

"Leni!" she called out. "I need to speak to you about several things!"

Lisa babbled on, but as much as Leni tried to listen, she found that she couldn't. She heard Lori in the kitchen though.

"Hold on, Bobby," she said, "Let me call you back."

Leni felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, sis," Lori got her attention. "What's wrong?"

Leni shook her head. She felt a stinging presence in her eyes.

"I quit my job."


	21. Chapter 21

_ Whack_!

Lynn catches the ball and readies it; tossing the softball in the air and smacking it with her bat.

_Whack_!

The satisfying sound, nor the perfect angle she was hitting the ball against the plywood so that it could arc its way back to her, could not shake off the thoughts clouding her mind.

_Whack_!

Leni quit her job. A job with people that she cared about. And with King terrorizing the city (even though he's in _prison_), she's not going to have a lot of time to find another one. It had good money, too. Leni wasn't rich like Batman. And she's not as invincible as Superman.

_Whack_!

And she couldn't do a stinkin' thing to change any of it. All she could do-

_Whack_!

Was hit a ball-

_Whack_!

Against a wall.

_Whack_!

"Hey!"

Lynn jumped with a start, but caught the ball. Lincoln was in the back yard with her, reading a book from his wheelchair, parked in the shade.

"That's getting kind-of old," he complained. "Any other sports related thing you could be doing right now?"

Lynn just stared at him. Still in that wheelchair. They didn't have to carry him up the stairs anymore, but he basically limped up the steps while leaning on the railing.

Seeing him now… reminding her of everything that's happened… frustrated her even more.

"Get up and make me," she muttered at him. She slammed the ball a little harder than usual. Instead of bouncing off the plywood and coming back to her in an arc, it ricocheted off the side wall and shot back at her. It nailed her in the eye.

She held her head back, biting back bitter words and mentally running down a list of curses in her mind.

"Mom got some new icepacks in the fridge," Lincoln pointed to the house, without even looking up from his comic.

Lynn glared at him and shook her head.

"Freaking smart-aleck."

Lynn made her way to the kitchen.

"Lynn!" Lori called from the front door. "Oof. Your new weights are here!"

Lynn closed the door to the fridge, nursing her cheek with a cold pack.

"Weights?" She didn't order anything.

She walked over to see Lori set the box down with a hard thud.

"Jeez," she complained, "You're a monster."

She left to unload the car of groceries with their mom. Lynn examined the box. No postage. No return address. Just a taped-up box left on their porch with her name on it.

Lynn hefted it up and made her way to the stairs, only to hear the chaos up there.

"She won't just be sore," Luan prompted her sisters. "She'll be dino-sore."

With Lana giggling, everyone else groaned.

"I'm going to beat you to death with my axe guitar," Luna promised.

...And Lynn changed her mind. There's got to be a place where she can get some privacy.

The garage.

Bypassing the kitchen again, she made her way to the garage and set the box down inside, next to the other storage.

She ripped the folds apart and looked inside. Set on top of the packing foam was a card with golden writing.

"Enjoy," Lynn read out. Nothing else was written. She pocketed the card and started sifting through the packing peanuts.

"Whoa."

* * *

Leni sat in her bed, sniffling. She wore her designated comfy sweater, for those especially depressed occasions. She should be angry, shouldn't she? Two days ago, she quit her job to wear a costume. To keep her sanity.

Leni heard her sister climb the stairs. She could pinpoint each sister by their footprints now. Lori made her way to their room.

"Hey," she greeted as she entered. "How're you feeling?"

"Hmm." Leni grunted.

"Well," Lori rested a hand on her side. "Why don't you come help me at the EGG Center? I could use the extra hand."

"Hmm." Leni sighed.

"Just something to think about," Lori added. "You've been in the house for a couple of days now."

"No crime happening," Leni answered. "No need for Super-Leni right now."

"Super Leni?" Lori teased. "You mean Sky Girl."

"Hmm."

"Well, we're leaving in a few," Lori settled. "Think about it."

Leni sighed, trying to disappear into her pillow. She was in no mood for super heroic antics or adventure. But she should try to get out of the house today.

With a groaning effort, she pulled herself out of her sheets and set to work on her image. A change of clothes, and a brush to her hair was enough of a fix. Oh, and she couldn't forget her shades.

She took two steps out of her room before her mom called her.

"Leni!" she shouted from downstairs. "Check on Lisa, would you? It's her naptime!"

Leni obeyed, opening the door to the nursery to see only one of its inhabitants snoozing away. The other was sitting in front of a computer.

"Lisa," Leni gently rested a hand on her head. "Naptime."

"Elder sibling," Lisa tried to argue, "I am closing in on-"

"You're not talking your way out of it," Leni interrupted. "You are too young to be overworking yourself like this."

"No, no!" Lisa objected as she was picked up. She was getting bigger too. "I am trying to elucidate our position with the dealer! I believe I'm getting close."

"The dealer?" Leni wondered.

"The individual responsible for the bank robbery some weeks ago," Lisa answered. "He provided the teenage perpetrators with weapons of concerning proportions."

"Right," Leni remembered.

"There is a very short and comprehensive list of suspects. I can submit it to Detective Hobbs so that we may-"

"It can wait till after your nap," Leni paused her.

Lisa huffed and relented, letting herself be tucked in and her glasses set aside.

With her mission accomplished, she went downstairs and joined her older sister in the van. It was just the two of them today. Driving through the city had a different feeling than usual. A tense air hung around the van like a fog. Leni didn't notice, and rested her head against the window. Lisa's words reminded her of other thoughts plaguing her. There's something to all of this. Like stitching a sweater.

"…Think there's a pattern," Leni groggily stated.

"To what?" Lori entertained.

"King," Leni tried to clarify. "The people he's using. There's something to all of it."

"Like what?"

"Don't know," Leni shook her head. "What was that thing…? Like, in church? The six super bad things?"

Lori thought for a second. "You mean…the seven deadly sins?"

"Yeah!" Leni pointed to her. "That's it!"

"Why would he… Leni that doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does!" Leni argued. "Like, there's…. Greed, and um…"

With a sigh, Lori pulled out her phone as they slowed to a stop at a red light. Her fingers were a blur on the screen. The light turned green and she handed Leni her phone.

"Here," she said, her patience and curiosity outweighing her exhausted sense of realism.

"Let's see," Leni read off. "greed, gluttony, pride, lust, envy… We've totes fought all of that!"

"Okay," Lori sighed, "Let's take this one step at a time. If these… psycho villains represent the sins… which one was lust supposed to be?"

"The goat guy who made the dreams."

"Greed? Gluttony?"

"Um…" Leni thought. "The frog guy. And the leech guy who locked me up."

"I guess that makes King pride," Lori muttered. "Which one was supposed to be envy?"

"That would be… Lana!" Leni realized. "She was being directly controlled by King, just like the others! And she was super insecure about how she looked."

"Okay…" Lori sounded less secure in her skepticism. "So… going by your theory, what's left?"

"Uhm…" Leni looked at the phone. "There's just… sloth and wraith."

"Okay. So... if the bad guys all have that theme... what's the point? What does it give... them..."

"What's going on here?" Lori wondered, interrupting her own thoughts.

Leni followed her gaze; a crowd of people lined the sidewalks in front of the EGG Centers. Everyone was shouting different things and making quite the uproar. Leni looked around and saw Hobbs a ways away. He looked very angry, with his hands on his hips and scolding another officer.

Lori found a parking spot somewhere past Hobbs and the crowd. The girls cautiously got out and made their way to the commotion.

"You act like a thug, you get treated like one," Hobbs dismissed. "I don't care how long you've been doing this. As soon as I get back to the station, I'll-"

He bit his lip. Shaking his head and turning away before briefly turning back to the officers.

"Get him out of my sight," he ordered. "No, he can ride in the back."

Two officers put a third in the back seat of a cop car and drove off.

"What happened?" Lori made their presence known.

Hobbs sighed, a lot of the frustration forced down for his next answer.

"One of…" Hobbs struggled. "One of the officers jumped the gun. Attacked a kid. He's on his way to a hospital now."

Leni caught something at the corner of her eye. An antler was snapped in half and left on the ground. It's owner was nowhere to be found. Was a deer hit? Where was the rest of it?

"Did he do anything?"

"Not sure yet," he rubbed the back of his neck. "Lot of witnesses here. They don't seem to think so."

Leni, still staring at the antler, felt a cold dread wash over her back and legs. She suddenly had the thought that the kid in question might have been one of the ones exposed.

"Oh my god," Leni covered her mouth.

"Kid."

Leni looked up at Hobbs, shock horror evident in her eyes.

"It's not your fault," he tried to assure her. "We're going to take of this, believe me."

Among all of the shouting and screaming, Leni heard someone chuckling. She looked around for it but couldn't find its source.

"You two should get inside," Hobbs suggested. "It's not going to calm down anytime soon."

Lori nodded and grabbed Leni to pull her, but she resisted. There was something rippling through the air. Wait, no, there were two things.

Leni looked up to see something growing over the crowd. It loomed over them like death itself.

"Hate…" a growling voice echoed. "Spite… Justice…!"

The being waved his arms over the crowd. Leni had to stare for a second at the man's form to figure out what was going on. Black fur covered his body. Horns curled upwards on his head. His triangle shaped body was perched on two backwards facing legs. A bushy tail swept from side to side, and two massive arms swept over the heads of the crowd. His face had skin for the nose and brows, like a baboon's face. He grinned with powerful fangs, speaking loudly.

"Where is your justice?!" he taunted the masses. "Where is your righteous anger?! You think _they_, your persecutors, will get it for you? Take arms! Take it for yourself!"

Leni looked to Lori.

"I have to go."

With that, Leni dashed away. With her speed, she was in a bathroom stall and changed into her costume in no time at all. Back out onto the street, just in time for the people to start chanting.

"_Riot! Riot! Riot_!"

Leni took to the sky.

"No, no," she pleaded, "No riot, please. No one else has to get hurt."

"This one is one of the oppressors!" the black beast accused. "She works for them! Take out your aggressions! Kill her!"

The people turned and started shouting, some started throwing things at her.

"I'm not… going to fight you," she pleaded with the crowd. "Please, let's talk this out."

Some shouted louder, some called for her head. Leni lowered herself to the ground. The people parted, perhaps they feared the worst. They still threw whatever they could grab.

"Stop it!" Lori showed up next to her. "Look! She's not fighting! She's just trying to help!"

"Watch her!" the beast man pointed. "Strike her, and see how she will react!"

Someone broke through the crowd, charging her with a baseball bat. The little black girl reeled it back and…

She made eye contact with Leni, and paused. Leni counted to ten, and by the time she got to seven the rage on the teenager's face had melted away.

"She…" the girl lowered the bat and took a step backwards. "You saved my life. You pulled me and my dad out of the building that one time. When everyone was sleeping."

Leni nodded. "I remember."

The little girl looked up at her, and past her at Hobbs.

"They… my friend and I were walking to the school," she spoke further. "We just thought we'd ask some questions… and some cop got out of his car and…"

She lowered her head. Her shoulders started shaking. Leni could take the distance anymore and reached out, pulling her into a deep hug.

"I'm so sorry," she sympathized.

The little girl sobbed into Leni's shoulder. The wooden bat dropped to the ground.

Leni noticed how quiet it was around her. The hundreds of other people were listening to her. She looked at Hobbs, and he picked up immediately.

"The officer in question is at the station right now," he explained. "When I get down there, he's out on the curb. Believe me."

The girl sniffled loudly in Leni's arms. The blond girl gave a squeeze, hoping to reassure her.

"We're going to take care of it," Leni added. "I promise."

The girl stepped away, wiping her face on her arms. With a nod to Leni, she turned and left, walking down the street, in the direction of the hospital.

Leni turned to the other "rioters." None of them seemed to know what to do.

"Does anyone else need a hug?" Leni offered.

Some of them laughed, but one wasn't so amused.

"No! Fight!" the tall chimeara of animal parts called out. "She can't give you your justice! You must fight! You have to kill them! You have to fight! You have to…"

When everyone did little more than stare, the giant man growled in frustration.

"Fine!" he snorted. "I'll do it myself!"

He swiped his arm, but only really succeeded in shoving some people away. He charged forward, his hooves clacking on the asphalt, and swung in arm at Leni's head.

He was so big and slow, Leni saw it coming a mile away. And there was something… off about him. Leni shot one arm out and caught him by the wrist.

"Oh, wait," She observed. "I think I get it. You're big, but you're not that strong by yourself, right?"

The red glowing eyes had dimmed to a dull brown. He looked afraid.

"My brother told me about a cartoon character," she continued. "The madder he got, the stronger he got. But you don't really work like that, do you? You need other people to be mad, so you can get stronger."

Leni, still holding onto the criminal, shot straight up into the air.

"You're like a…" she let her thoughts trail, "Hate-Raiser. I think that's the right word for it."

She flipped him in the air and sent him hurtling to the ground. After he crashed, he laid there, groaning in pain.

"By the way," Officer Hobbs leaned over the individual, "You're under arrest. For assault, and for inciting a riot."

"Ugh…"

Leni dropped down, and the people cheered for her. A van turned around the corner, stopping in front of the crowd.

"There's the wagon," Hobbs noted. "Happy to see it's only carrying one perp this time."

"No kidding," Lori sighed.

Leni smiled. Things certainly weren't perfect, but she knows there are more good people than bad. Even if the bad ones are a little louder sometimes.

There is still hope.

* * *

Lynn ran to the garage in a hurry.

She only just now saw the news. It was perfect!

A big bad new enemy, inciting a riot downtown. Leni would already be there by now, but that's okay. She can help when Lynn saves the day!

She went into the garage and opened up the box. She didn't have a hiding spot for it yet, but she would figure that out later. This super suit is going to kick serious-

"Hey."

Lynn jumped and spun around to the door, swung open by her brother. After a second of staring, Lincoln started to struggle out of his wheelchair. He stood up, leaning heavily on the door frame, before giving Lynn an exasperated look.

"Little help?" he held out his hand.

Lynn's blood ran cold. Another wave of frustration clouded her mind. She turned away from him, already slipping the skin-hugging jumpsuit over her regular clothes. It was black with red lines running down the arms and sides.

"Lynn," Lincoln called out.

Lynn zipped up the front, and started with the pieces of armor.

"Where did you get that?"

She hurried with the white armor pieces. They hooked around her shoulders and torso. It was the heaviest part of the package, and for good reason. It had a massive module on the back, looking like a plain old rocket. The armored boots locked around her shin, forming a heavy set of boots around her feet.

"Is this what you ran in here yesterday?" Lincoln guessed.

Lynn tightened the gauntlets over her arms.

"Lynn!" Lincoln pleaded. "You have to stop!"

She stood back up with the helmet in her hands. She turned back in time for Lincoln to collapse trying to walk to her. She failed to catch him in time, and gasped as he fell before her.

He looked up at her, and she looked down at him. Why is he looking at her like that? Like she's in the wrong.

"I'll be back," Lynn opened the garage door and pulled the helmet down over her head. It connected with the rest of the suit, turning on all the bells and whistles with a whir.

She stomped out onto the driveway, and shot up to the sky, trails of fire erupting from her boots and back rocket. The sound of wind and fire popped her ears, as she took the suit to the sky for only the second time in her life.

Some small part of her sqeezed the heart in her chest. She knew something was wrong here. But addressing that meant addressing what's rolling around in her head right now. So, instead, she'd have to settle for the elation of flight, as if it left all her problems behind her.

"Woo-hoo!"

She soon found the location of the riot, spotting the huge group of people down below. In front of the school (and the stupidly named "EGG Center"), she spotted Leni and Lori talking to Officer Hobbs.

She grinned. Time to make her debut!

* * *

Leni felt a rumbling in her ears and looked up. Everyone joined her, and stared as someone descended from the sky with a jetpack. She landed hard, almost falling over, and Leni reached out to help balance her, but she righted herself before she could be touched.

"Rocket!" the newcomer announced with a salute. "Ready and willing!"

Leni blinked at her. The helmet had a visor that covered only half of her face. The armor looked impressive, as well as the jumpsuit it was attached to. The girl was short, and she had a mischievous smile on her face. That nose looked familiar too.

"So…" the girl named "Rocket" looked around. "Where's the bad guys? Did I scare them off?"

"Hate-Raiser is in the back of a police van," Leni answered. She tilted her head, looking at the girl again.

She leaned forward and cupped a hand over her mouth.

"Um, Lynn," she whispered. "Can we talk for a minute?"

Leni stepped back and took to the skies. Lynn looked like she could be knocked over with a stiff breeze. Lori looked between the two, before it started to click in her head. Leni floated up to the top of the school, she set down. The red clad fourteen-year-old sheepishly joined her.

"Alright," Lynn sighed. "How did you know?"

"I'm simple, not stupid," Leni answered. "That helmet doesn't disguise you very well."

Lynn looked up at her and her domino mask, but gave up on a retort with a shake of her head.

"I'm not giving it up," Lynn instead stated. "You can't make me."

"Lynn," Leni pleaded. "It's not safe. Where did you even get it?"

"It came in the mail," Lynn answered. "Look, I'm not taking it off."

"You're being silly," Leni argued. "We don't know what it is. Let's go back to the house and have Lisa-"

"No!" Lynn stamped her foot. "I'm not doing it!"

She held up her arm, and the armor on her wrist opened up to show something Leni didn't recognize. It fired some rapid fire pellets that exploded when they hit Leni's stomach. A cloud enveloped the both of them, making them cough excessively.

"What is…?" Leni couldn't help coughing. She started to lose all feeling in her legs. Her mind was slipping away. As she collapsed on her back, she heard Lynn coughing as well. Lynn collapsed on top of her, groaning.

"Ugh…" Lynn complained in their last moments of consciousness. "Crap."

* * *

**_It's been a rough couple of weeks. Splitting up the story and dealing with life stuff. Will update as soon as I am able. _**


	22. Chapter 22

Leni's head rolled around to waking up. She was sitting down somewhere. There was a deafening buzz in her ears. Something smelled like it was burning.

"Leni," a familiar voice was next to her. She was hushed, trying to keep her voice low. It was panicked. "Leni!"

"Huh?" Leni raised her head. "What's…"

"Ah!" a voice echoed through the room. "Awake at last!"

Leni fought for consciousness, raising her head to the room around her. Side by side, the sisters were chained to the base of an arch, two arches reached up and supported a round pod where they intersected. The pod was suspended above a large bowl, which Lynn's feet dangled into slightly, Leni was adjacent to the pit.

"Funny looking… skate rink…" Leni noted.

"Admiring the craftsmanship?" the voice echoed again.

Leni looked up at the pod to see the Prison's doctor in some kind of lift. The lift descended towards them, and it was then that Leni realized that the chariot wasn't attached to anything. No arm to guide it, nor a platform for it to rest gently on. It floated in the air, just like her.

Leni looked up and around as the madman descended. There were no windows or clocks; just metallic walls and artificial lighting. There was a door, but it was sealed shut, and there doesn't look to be anyone else here.

"Doctor Fiend," Leni asked the scientist as he neared. She even used his preferred pronunciation of "Find." "What is all of this?"

"Revolution, dear girl!" he excitedly explained with a grin. "A new era for humanity! This machine will provide a limitless amount of energy. Just like the experimental generator prior to it!"

Leni tried to remember. A generator? Just like the one that exploded and gave her these powers? He's rebuilt it!?

"How do you know this one won't blow up in your face?" Lynn barked next to her.

"Because I am the superior mind," The doctor proudly claimed. "I am the smartest man alive! Take _that_ Hawking! And that little Loud brat too!"

Leni gulped when he said that.

"What do you want with us?" Leni asked him.

"Oh, nothing really," he waved his hand. "Just the energy that you already have inside you."

Leni tilted her head.

"I love explaining things to simpletons," Fiend relished. "The explosion that essentially created you, and the other freaks running around the city, were all exposed to the generator at one point or another. And, as with more conventional forms of energy, should have calmed down or died off a long time ago. But that is simply not the case!

"The energies that transformed you are still going off. Stronger than ever, even! Like a hurricane passing over an ocean, or a forest fire enrapturing a gas station, your power is spiraling! And I will extract it, one way…"

He held up a shard of glowing, crystalized energy to show them. Leni gasped when she saw it.

"Or the other," he finished with a grin. His eyes were hidden behind his goggles, but his smile was stretched with a sinister sneer.

"Can you believe I found this lying around some warehouse?" Fiend snickered. "All this energy ready to be utilized. It's going to put me and all my friends at Victorious Industries back up top."

"Victorious Industries…" Leni recognized. So, he's still tied to the company in some way?

Doctor Fiend floated his device into the dish, pulling out some tools and working on a section with a blowtorch.

"You didn't answer the question," Lynn demanded. "What do you want with us? Why are we here?"

"Oh, I plan to drain the superhero's life force to jumpstart my machine," Fiend happily explained, looking over his shoulder. "You were just used to bring her here. And to screw with the head of one my lesser intellectual rivals. I know she has more siblings out there somewhere, so I'll probably have to kill more of you before she even notices."

"You…" Lynn shook her head. "It was you! You sent those weapons to the other kids! Made them rob banks!"

"Well, aren't you the detective?" Fiend taunted.

Lynn started swearing and cursing wildly, struggling against the chains. Leni tried to push aside her despair.

"You don't have to do this, Doctor Fiend," she said to him. She slipped and said "Fiend" instead. "If you really are the smartest person in the world, then you can help save it. I don't really understand what it is you've built here-"

"Figures." He dismissed.

"…But it sounds an awful lot like a cure." Leni continued. "You could save hundreds of ruined lives. You could be the hero I could never be. Let's work together and-"

"No."

Leni gasped.

"The world is beyond redemption," he answered. "Beyond saving, even for my superior intellect. Besides, even if I saved it today, they'd ruin it all tomorrow. There's no point to it. And I gain nothing from it."

Leni's brow knit together. Now she struggled against the chains with everything she had.

"The point is to not… act like… such a jerk!"

The chains remained steadfast.

"You'll find it increasingly difficult to break free without your powers," he informed them. He waved a hand at the lights above them without even looking. "So, you might as well sit there quietly."

Leni twitched her nose, and realized her mask and earpiece was missing. No help from the others. The two of them were on their own.

Leni couldn't think of anything other than struggle against the chains. She fought, and she pulled, but it gave no leeway.

"I'm sorry."

Leni looked over to her fellow captive. Lynn hung her head low.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I didn't want this to happen, I just…"

"Just what?" Leni gently tried to nudge her. She reached over with her arm, but was only able to brush her arm.

"I just," She shook her head. "I taught you, you know? How to fight, and I just… I got competitive. And I couldn't even fight with you, so I just sat there… wondering what it was like. And then you keep getting hurt. And you lost your job. And I just… I wanted to help."

She lowered her head back down. "I wanted to matter."

"Lynn," Leni called to her. "You've always mattered. I would never have gotten this far without you. And if anything ever happened to you, I would never forgive myself. I love you, you know that?"

Lynn nodded. It was hard to see her face from this angle, but she looked like she was fighting back tears.

"Doesn't really matter," she said. "I don't know how we're going to get out of this."

Leni looked up at the artificial lighting. She looked at Lynn, seeing that she was still wearing most of the suit. The torso armor piece was still intact, but the arms, legs, and helmet were all missing.

"The last time my powers gave out," Leni told her. "I just had to get out from under the lights. I felt better right after."

"But the only door out is over there," Lynn nodded her head in that direction. "How are going to get out?"

"What if we just turn the lights off?" Leni thought out loud.

"Okay," Lynn nodded, "but where…?"

The two girls looked across the way to the other side. A panel on the wall with an electrical symbol across it.

"Alright," Lynn smiled wickedly. "This could be fun. But the chains…"

"Can you wiggle out of them?" Leni thought. "Like, at all?"

"Maybe…" Lynn tested out some movements. "Uh oh."

"What?"

"I think I can get out," Lynn promised. "But I have to lose the armor I got on."

Leni waited for the part where that was a problem. Then she remembered how insecure the girl was.

"Lynn," she told her, "You don't need it."

"But-"

"You. Don't. Need it."

"…Okay."

Lynn started to wiggle, shimming in the oversized chest piece. Her head sunk further into it. Her legs started to kick out. Her arms started going into the torso piece.

"Quiet over there!"

Lynn froze, and Leni held her breath at the madman's outburst.

Instead of the sounds that follow the discovery of an escape attempt, the sound of a blowtorch resumed.

Lynn soon resumed her wriggling. Her head popped out from under the armor and chains. She was free!

But the danger wasn't over yet. Lynn sat up, with both sets of eyes locked onto the scientist. He shut the panel he was working on and started screwing it into place.

Lynn took the opportunity to walk around the dish of this strange machine. Arms up, legs couched, shoulders hunched. Leni remembered the brief phase of her wanting to be a ninja. She eventually got bored with it, but she apparently hadn't forgotten how to tip-toe like one.

Leni looked at the distance between her and the electrical box. It was such a long ways away. How long before Dr. Fiend noticed one them was missing?

"What's it like, I wonder?" He suddenly spoke. Leni felt a lump in her throat, and Lynn froze where she stood, mid stride. "To have all the power in the world and be so… inferior with it. So unworthy."

It was then Leni looked up at the man. He hadn't looked up from the next panel he was working on. He hadn't even looked over!

"What reasons are there for the sudden mutations?" he pondered. "Why does one subject get one set of abilities, while the other doesn't resemble that at all? What do you think?"

Leni looked from the oblivious man to Lynn, who was a little less than halfway there, and looking back to her expectantly. Leni nodded, and answered.

"It depends," she answered, raising her voice.

"On what?" the scientist quizzed.

"On the person," Leni took a breath. Keep him talking. Keep him distracted. "When I got my powers… I was at a bus stop. I was so sad, and alone. I felt like I wanted to just… leave. I wanted to hear my best friend's voice again. I wanted to go see her, right then and there."

"And this matters why?" the man wondered.

"So… I can listen to anything in the city if I'm listen hard enough," Leni answered. "I can go anywhere and be there in a few minutes… I flew all the way to the north pole in a few hours!"

"The north pole?" he took his goggles off and looked at her, blinking heavily.

"Well," Leni sheepishly admitted. "More like… Canada?"

Dr. Fiend nodded and turned back to his work. Sparks lighting up his protective goggles.

Leni shivered as she realized what almost happened. He might've had spots in his eyes, not realizing that Lynn was missing. That was too close.

Leni looked over to Lynn, to see she was closing in. She was more than halfway there. She couldn't give herself away by sprinting to it just yet.

"So you theorize that the explosion is some form of… wish fulfilment?" the mad doctor answered. With a humorless laugh, he added, "What a childish notion. If anyone were to publish that, they'd be the laughing stock of…. Wait-a-moment."

Leni tried to think of a way to draw his attention. Too late, he scrutinized the situation more thoroughly. He knows one of them was missing!

"Where did…?" He spun around in his little chariot. "Security!"

A section of wall slid open, letting a honest-to-goodness robot stomp out. It had backwards legs, precariously balanced. It had a round, triangularly shaped body. Two arms dangled down from gyros, attached at the shoulders. The tube-like limbs ended with two pinchers, ready to snap anything they grabbed in two. Its head was a spinning saucer lying flat on the body; it's red glowing eyes sticking up on two little stalks like a snail's.

If Leni had asked why he built the robot like this, or why he had a robot instead of human guards, she would have guessed Doctor Fiend's answer would have been "I do what I want!"

Then he spotted the brunette teen sprinting towards the electrical box.

"Kill her!" he shouted.

Leni struggled against the chains. She couldn't move against them. She couldn't break them. She couldn't make them any looser-

Oh, wait.

She pushed and shoved the torso piece Lynn had been wearing. She was able to jimmy it out of the chains, and let the bonds drop to the ground.

By this time, the lights shut off around her with a loud "Chuunk!" Leni's sight returned as a red hue permeated the room.

An electronic voice echoed over speakers.

"_Emergency generators activated,"_ the female voice said. "_All personnel evacuate immediately. All exits are opened, and all non-essential systems are shut down to prevent further damage. Have a nice day._"

"What? No! Get that power back online! Reboot, reboot!"

Leni still didn't have her powers back. She ran with everything she could at the electrical box. The robot was making its way there, scanning for her sister.

"Kill them! Kill both of them!"

The robot turned, snapping its pincers at the blonde. She ducked and kept on running. The machine stomped and lumbered after her.

"Leni!"

Leni turned and saw that Lynn had taken to hiding in some crates nearby. She ran over to her and grabbed her shoulders. Still can't fly, now what?

The robot smashed the crate next to them, sending splinters everywhere.

"Run!" Leni huffed out.

Hand in hand, the girls ran with everything they had. The doors were just a few feet away…

Leni was feeling stronger. Energy pumped through her body with every step. She could feel it like a thunderbolt running down her spine.

"Hold on!"

Leni scooped up Lynn, hooking her arms under her knees and shoulders. Her feet left the ground, leaning forward heavily.

"No, no!"

Leni shot forward like a bullet. She got through the door, only to find a long hallway in front of her. She couldn't really see the other end. She flew forwards anyways. She needed to get out of here!

Lynn looked over her shoulder, as another sound reverberated in Leni's eardrums.

"Lights!" Lynn panicked. "Light's are coming back on!"

Leni could see them at the corners of her vision. The same lights that somehow blocked her powers. The lights whose design were invented by her little sister. She had to hurry.

"Fly faster," she muttered to herself. "Fly. Faster!"

The edges of her vision became a blur. She was giving it everything she could.

There. A door. An elevator.

It was everything she could do not to slam into it. She let Lynn down while she tried to catch her breath. Lynn spammed the button; pressing it over and over again.

The lights came over in consecutive order, working its way down to them like a terrible flood.

"Come on, come on!" Lynn complained. "Just open, dang it!"

Shouting was making its way too them as well. Further down the hall. The mad scientist was far behind those lights.

The elevator doors opened, and Leni ducked inside beside her sister. They had just missed the lights by a hair. The box moved, as banging on the door was made evident. They made it, now they just had to survive whatever was waiting for them on the next floor. Oh, and now "Shake it off" is playing as the elevator music.

"Okay," Lynn huffed, readying herself to charge out the door. "Whatever the next floor is like, I suggest we take it hard. Say it loud, say it proud!"

Leni smiled at the limitless energy the girl had. She took a deep breath, walked over to the girl, and picked her up.

"We're getting out of here," Leni promised, "As soon as the doors open up, we're zipping out of here."

Leni crouched down, like a runner at the starting line. She waited for those doors to open just half a hair.

Suddenly, the elevator dinged. The doors opened…

A bunch of large, beefy security guards in black t-shirts stood in her way. One of them tried to hold a hand up to stop her.

Leni didn't even stop to count how many there were. She dashed forward, pushing past the grown men as they tried to grab her. She tucked Lynn's head down as she smashed through the glass of a… lobby? What was this, a hotel?

Didn't matter. They were outside. Leni shot up and over the city, flying straight home.

* * *

Leni sat down, physically, and emotionally drained. The general panic of the whole family had finally subsided enough for her to sit down. They'd been missing for a few hours, she learned. Lynn and Leni did their best in explaining everything, but somehow that didn't seem to make them feel any better.

"So Lynn kidnapped you?!" Lola accused.

"She didn't do anything to me," Leni tried to defend. "It was Doctor Fiend."

"But you put on the suit," Lynn Sr. confronted the brunette teen himself. "You got a package from a stranger, used it, and ended up getting yourself _and_ one of your sisters abducted!"

Lynn shrunk in her seat under his words. "Dad, I-"

"Not only that, you left Lincoln in the garage! He was laying on the floor for an hour before Lucy heard him and told us! Do you know what your brashness put us all through?!"

"I-" Lynn Jr. stammered. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not going to cut it this time," their father scolded. "I'm glad the both of you are safe, but I want you in your room while your mother and I decide what kind of punishment you'll receive."

Lynn nodded, lip quivering and close to tears. She wiped her nose on her sleeve, before giving a big sniff and slinking off to her room. The siblings watched in silence. Lana's tail swept from side to side as she fidgeted with the scales on her thumbs. She paused by Lincoln's chair, who looked at her with a mixed look of pity and anger.

"M'sorry," Lynn muttered to the boy.

Lincoln's expression softened, but he didn't answer. Lynn continued on.

"That goes for the rest of you kids," Rita stepped in with a sigh. "It's way past your bedtimes now. And your father and I have a lot to talk about."

She looked to her eldest daughter. "Lori, would you give Officer Hobbs a call? Tell him that it's over?"

Lori nodded. The couple gave Leni a look she couldn't identify, and they went into their bedroom, closing and locking the door behind them.

"Any chance you could listen in on them?" Luna whispered to the second oldest.

Leni shook her head. They used to listen in on conversations due to an air vent under the bathroom sink. But they did something to plug it up and muffle noise after they discovered it. Even with her powers, Leni didn't want to listen in anyways.

"Doctor Fiend," Lisa pondered. "I remember him now. He's a disgraced scientist. Brilliant, but unethical to the nth degree. The list of crimes against nature he's committed is longer than my arm."

"That's not saying much," Lola crossed hers in front of her chest. Lana snickered.

"Than Lori's arm, then," Lisa rolled her eyes. "I thought he went underground. Why did he return?"

"He must be getting help from someone," Luna theorized.

"Like his boss?" Luan pointed out sarcastically. "I mean, I know she's a CEO and everything, but Victoria Grace can't be _that_ clueless, right?"

"Guys," Lori held her hands up. "It's late. Let's just talk this over tomorrow."

The girls collectively let their shoudlers slump, and they trudged up the stairs to their rooms. Lori went into the kitchen to make her call. Leni paused by Lincoln in his chair.

"You okay?" the brother held her arm gingerly.

"Yeah," Leni breathed. "Just… thinking, I guess."

Lincoln didn't add anything as she carried him up the stairs and to his room. After checking that he needed anything else, she went to her own room and climbed into her bed.

She didn't like what all of this was adding up to. She just wanted to go to sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

Leni's troubles plagued her the following day. Her favorite pastime barely served as a distraction. Shopping was reduced to window-gazing, since Leni didn't have a income flowing in anymore, she had to save what money she had. And clearance was a bust on top of it all.

The mall trip served more as a breather for everyone else. By their parent's insistence, the Loud family went out to the mall to stretch their legs. Lincoln was practicing walking without his chair, and Lana was getting a little less self-conscious about how she looked. The only other people home were Lynn and Lily, the latter needed more careful observation, while the former was set to do yard chores that'd keep her busy for the day.

Leni felt a hand rest on her arm.

"Hey. Dudette," Luna called for her, "You okay?"

Leni reluctantly nodded. She had too much on her mind to be truthful, and Lincoln needed Lori's supervision.

"Just thinking," Leni answered.

"I'm sure it's going to be okay," Luna tried to assure her. "We can get through… all of this."

"Hope so," Leni put down the blouse she wasn't really looking at.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Luna offered. There was a brief pause between the girls. "I mean, I know you tend to bottle this stuff up, but I just-"

"I know," Leni agreed. She looked up and around. No one in immediate proximity to them.

"I need to talk with Victoria Grace," she confessed.

"About what?" Luna questioned. Then the pieces began to click together. "About Fiend? And the prison?"

Leni nodded.

"Leni, that's a bad idea," Luna explained. "If she is who we think she is, she's never just going to admit it to us. Plus, she might have seen your face. What if she knows who we are?"

Leni shook her head. "I have to do something. I can't just pretend everything is okay."

"I get it," Luna sympathized. She pretended to busy herself with the racks. "But we can't just go into her office and be like P!nk "_I Want to Start a Fight_." We have no idea how she operates, and if she's getting into the criminal game, she could be more dangerous than any of those other guys we fought already. We have to pick our battles."

Then she snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Jeez," she complained, "Now I sound like Master Splinter."

Leni gave a small smile. She knew Luna was right. That didn't mean she liked it.

Leni looked up at the hanging television by the cash register. She grabbed Luna's shoulder and wordlessly pointed at it. It didn't have any sound, but the subtitles gave an idea of what was going on.

"-that turned into a violent shootout with police. No casualties have been reported, but all suspects have been apprehended by authorities. Including Franklin Diggs, a man with a long history of felonies, and holds the number five spot of the FBI's most wanted list. He's been charged with assault, homicide, arms dealing, drug trafficking, and even human trafficking. Police had this to say-"

Leni watched the screen as a restrained man struggled on the gurney, trying to lash out at the EMT's and police trying to save his life. The criminal spotted the camera filming him, and before the screen cut away, he mouthed something. Leni wasn't sure, but she turned to Luna to check.

"What did he say?" Leni asked the musician.

"It looked like…" the girl hesitated. She wasn't too sure herself. "It looked like Grace. Like he was saying "Grace, get me out!" or something like that."

Leni felt a shiver run up her back. That settles it.

"Leni, don't-"

The girl was already gone.

Leni was in her costume almost the second she was in the bathroom, and up in the air not long after that.

* * *

She flew in the direction of Victorious industries office. Honestly the top three floors looked more like a condo, and it was undoubtedly the building she and Lynn had been trapped in.

She felt a ringing in her pocket and she instinctively pulled it out and answered.

"Leni what are you doing?" Lori called out. She sounded panicked.

Leni didn't answer immediately.

"Leni," Lori pleaded, "Just come back. Come home. We'll figure out how to-"

"I just… want to talk," Leni interrupted.

"About what? Leni…" Lori sighed. "This is a bad idea."

"Lori," Leni felt the tension rising inside her throat. It threatened to choke her, but she couldn't let it. "Victoria Grace has always been, like, a role model to me, ever since I was little. I've read every article about her. Every design I made… I have to know. I have to look her in the eyes."

Lori didn't answer.

"I'll be back soon," she promised. "Bye."

She put her phone away. She readjusted her mask, making sure it was firmly on her face, and flew towards the building.

It had to be one of the tallest buildings in Royal City, and as she flew up to the window, past her reflection, she saw the vast and lavish room inside. Fountains sprayed up next to the windows. The marble floor was partially covered by the warm Mediterranean design on a rug. Further in revealed a massive desk in front of a waterfall at the center of the room.

The window started to move, scrolling upwards and opening towards her. Leni took the opportunity to slip in and see the room without obstruction.

"Sky Girl, Darling!" Victoria's bombastic voice filled the room. "What a wonderful surprise! What _ever_ can I do for you?"

The woman was beautifully dressed, as always. Big hair, dark skin, golden amber in her eyes, and a stylish dress that had to be made from the most expensive materials in the world.

"Miss Grace," Leni set down and approached the woman. "I have… some concerns."

The woman laced her arm around Leni's side and walked her to her desk.

"Oh, that can hold a second," she waved her free hand. "Oh, Hubert! Get us some cucumber water, would you kindly?"

The more Leni saw of this room, the bigger it got. Hubert manned a small kitchenette on the other side of a lounge area with his large presence. He wasn't the only one, as Leni noted the other statues that were apparently living guards. She doubted the White House had this much beefy security.

"Miss Grace," Leni spoke as she sat down in a lush chair. "I think you might be in danger."

"Oh?" Victoria took the glasses from Hubert and handed one of them to Leni. "How so?"

"Yesterday," Leni began, "One of your employees, Doctor Fiend kidnapped me. And Ly… another young girl. And, I don't know what, but he's definitely planning something in the prison you just opened. He has a machine, under this very building! I don't know how many guys are helping him, but he's going to hurt a lot of people. And I need your help to stop him."

"Hmm…" Victoria enjoyed her drink from her own lush chair. "Interesting."

Leni watched her set her glass aside.

"I think, Darling, that you are confused," Victoria rested her hands on her crossed legs. "You should really try to educate yourself of the situation."

Leni blinked. "What?"

Victoria smiled at her. She stared off into a corner before standing up and smoothing out her dress.

"You know," She said to the girl. "I think we're a lot alike. Pretty girl, lots of friends, but not close to anyone, am I right?"

Leni didn't answer. She continued.

"I had a large family when I was younger. Middle child of eight kids, and the only girl. We only had one working bathroom, if you can believe it."

Leni nodded in sympathy.

"My father though… well, let's just say he had a problem with impulse control. My brothers weren't much better. You name it, they did it. Drinking. Smoking. Selling…"

She was facing away from Leni, and the younger girl saw as one of her hands clenched into a fist. One of her nails popped off, ruining an otherwise perfect manicure.

"Well, anyways," she continued. "It's all in the past now. After that… unfortunate fire, I got my life together. I started this company, I expanded my product. I became an inspiration for all girls everywhere."

Leni remembered reading about that. She always knew of Victoria's humble beginnings, but not many details were shared about that. Even less information was known about the fire. Leni had to do some internet searches to even hear about it.

"But fashion doesn't really… _do it_ for me anymore. I got bored. And loathe as I am to admit it, I missed my family. So, I… went and built a new one."

Leni stared at her. It wasn't connecting in her head. Piece by piece fell into place…

"And then there was that one good friend of mine from the government. We made a deal that if I made things worse in the city, he'd let me keep some of the streets for my own operations."

"Operations?" Leni stood up. She realized she was still holding her glass and set it down. "You… you're a gangster?"

"Oh honey," Victoria smiled down at her. "I would prefer the term "Crime Lord." Hmm. Crime… Mistress? Hubert! What's the equivalent?"

"The term is a Moll, ma'am."

"Oh, is it really? That sounds old fashioned."

"It was popularized by the criminals Bonnie and Clyde, ma'am."

"Oooh. I like the sound of it though. Johnny! Make a note, fashion is a circle. Let's see if we can bring back zoot suits along with the suspenders."

"Now," she continued, "Where were we?"

"One of your men is in the hospital right now," Leni pointed out. "The police will interrogate him, and they'll know that you're the one behind it."

"Oh, I think you'll find that Franklin has bled out by his serious injuries by now," Victoria nonchalantly noted. "Twelve years ago, I attacked the market with vicious creations and cutthroat tactics. For me, it was like a game. Now I'm playing a new game, with new rules. And you aren't even a player."

Leni stared at her. She suddenly got the feeling she got talking to the popular clique at her school. Effortlessly pretty and charismatic. And endlessly cruel while smiling to your face.

The girl fidgeted in her stance. She knew this feeling all too well. The feeling of being duped. Tricked. Someone flaunting their knowledge or authority over her.

Leni was sick of it. She gritted her teeth. There had to be something she could do. Some way she could hurt her.

Wait.

"I could go to the police," she realized. "I can tell them everything you just said."

"Oh darling," Victoria gave her a pitiful look. "You're not rich enough to be heard. Nothing said here would be proven in court."

"Maybe," Leni's hand drifted up to her head. And suddenly, Leni felt like _she_ was smarter than the mean girl. "But what about a video?"

Leni looked up at her former role model. Her eyes darted to Leni's ear, then her mask, then back to her eyes. She watched the color drain from Victoria's face. Then she watched as her face contorted into something frightening.

"Why you little-"

Victoria Grace reached out at her, and Leni could feel the malice and intent coming off the older woman in waves.

Leni took to the air, and was out the window with a string of swears and curses following her.

She flew all the way back home with a smile on her face. It was barely noon and she already had a major victory on her hands.

_Lisa records everything through my mask. So she can just fix the video, or print it out, or whatever, and we can give it to the police. And they'll arrest Victoria Grace! It's perfect!_

After a long, leisurely flight, Leni landed in front of her house and walked through the door with a skip in her step. Just a few short minutes, and Leni will have everything she needs.

The house was quiet. _Oh, right. The girls are still at the mall._ _Better give them a call._

Leni fetched her phone out of her pocket, and before she could dial anything, it rang.

"Lori?" Leni blinked in confusion. She answered it. "Hello?"

"Leni!" The girl sounded frantic. "Where the _hell_ are you?!"

Leni balked at the girl's voice.

"W-what? What happened?"

Lori sounded like she was sobbing.

"They..." She struggled to find her own breath, while Leni's skin ran cold. "Luan. They took Luan!"

Lori went on to describe how some men just came in and left with one of their sisters. Lisa could be heard crying next to her. Luna apparently just showed up with the twins and were asking questions. This happened only seconds ago.

* * *

Leni sat in the desk across from Officer Hobbs. Lori was sitting next to her, and their parents behind them. Leni barely had the sense to change back to her civilian clothes.

Lori was barely holding it together. Luna tucked her hands under her shoulders to stop them from shaking. Lincoln and Lynn had been tasked with watching the younger girls in the waiting area.

"So you think the two events are related?" Hobbs questioned them.

"It has to be," Lori answered. "We get footage of-of the confession for a criminal mastermind! And they just…."

Lori was doing everything in her power to not burst into tears again. Leni herself was a dam about to burst under the slightest pressure. To avoid her own breakdown, she sat quietly, and with a expressionless face, waiting for more competent people to come up with a plan.

"For the reaction to be this quick," Hobbs surmised, "the kidnappers would have had to be watching you for a while. Have you been unmasked recently?"

"Yes," Leni stonily answered. "By Doctor Fiend. When he kidnapped me and Lynn."

"Did he know who you were, when he did it?"

"No."

"Then they were watching you for at least a few hours. They had to have figured out you were related after you escaped. When you showed that you had leverage over her, Grace sent out the order. And now, we're here."

"What do we do now?" Lynn Sr. asked the officer.

"Victoria is power mad, and desperate. She's going to make a call, or leave a note, demanding a trade."

The phone on the desk rang. It was Lori's, and the number wasn't listed. Hobbs had plugged it into a laptop with one of his coworkers sitting at the ready.

"Answer," Hobbs instructed, "Put it on speaker."

Lori obeyed, and swallowed when the call was answered.

"H-hello?"

"I would like to extend a formal apology for unnecessary roughness," a gruff voice said on the line. The policeman behind Hobbs plugged away at his laptop. "I guess you girls are with the police?"

Lori's face reframed her rage.

"I want…" Lori bit back some anger. "I want proof of life. Or we're done."

"Fair enough."

The phone was quiet, before someone spoke. "H-hello? Mom? Dad? Guys?"

"We're here, honey!" Rita lunged towards the phone. "Oh baby, are you okay?"

"Alright, alright," the gruff voice returned. "No need to get the line sappy. There's your proof."

"What do you want?" Lori demanded.

"The video that superhero took," he answered, "of what was supposed to be a private meeting. And a guarantee that no copies exist."

"Where do you want the trade to happen?" Lori interrogated.

"The same place the intruder broke took place. Seven-o-clock. Two hours from now. That's plenty of time for you to complete the demands. No police. No surveillance. And no cheating. If there's a copy of the video that exists after the trade-off, we'll know. And after all…

"We know where you live."

The phone shut off when the call ended. Rita uttered an "Oh my God." Hobbs looked to his coworker, who shook his head.

"That scientist guy must've been screwing around with the phone call," Luna guessed in a shaky voice.

"Excuse me?"

The group jumped and turned their heads to the little girl that snuck into their conversation. Lola, holding Lana's scaley hand had seemingly appeared from nowhere.

"Lola," Rita commanded, "go wait with Lynn and the others."

"I have an idea," the seven-year-old offered.

* * *

Leni approached the window cautiously. It was open, and the lights were on.

"Sky-girl!" Victoria Grace's smile was more strained this time. "Come in! Don't be shy! I haven't told anyone our little secret. Not yet, anyways."

The room hadn't changed much. There were a lot more guards, and a few of the expensive glass adornments have gone missing.

Leni descended slowly and with purpose. She had her mask switched out with a black domino mask on a string.

"Honestly, it's so embarrassing!" the woman laughed off. "Spilling my secrets like some… amateur! Ugh. I'm going to have to make up for it somehow. I'm sure there's some group of thugs running around out there. Anyways. Onto business."

Leni's feet touched the ground. A weight was lifted off her shoulders. Though the stress still constricted around her throat.

"Bring out the comedian!"

A new set of muscles, identical to the rest of the sets of muscles around the room, appeared with a teen girl in tow. Luan had her wrists tied in front of her with a zip tie. Bruises dotted her right arm and her left leg. Her skirt and tear on its side, she was missing a shoe, and her scrunchy was missing, letting her hair loose around her head. Tears streamed down her eyes and stained the white cloth wrapped over her mouth.

Leni wanted to scream. When Doctor Fiend appeared with her, she wanted to lash out; to rage and… and…

God. She wanted to hurt him.

"Easy now," Victoria held out her hand. "Let's not get the wrong idea. Things happen when you get kidnapped so hastily. But aside from that, she has been treated with utmost geniality. If you think I left her at the mercy of despicable men, you are wrong. I may be a criminal, but I am not a monster."

"You're a criminal who kidnaps a child," Leni found the voice to argue.

"I do what it takes to survive," their hostess answered. "and to be on top of it all."

"Now," she moved on, "You have what I want?"

_Remember the plan, Leni._

Lola was the most deviant sister in the loud house. Luan had her pranks, but Lola had cunning. Her pageants have molded her competitive spirit far beyond Lynn's hyperactive nature. Lola needs to win at _life_, she needs leverage on everyone; including- no, _especially_ her sisters. So when the situation became apparent to her, she prompted the adults with a plan. Leni had to admit, it sounded pretty good.

"What's in it for me?"

The whole room stared at her. She felt a shiver creep up her spine.

"The little girl gets to live," Victoria's head tilted to the side. "Isn't that what you want?"

Leni swallowed a hard lump in her throat. "Th-that's short term. What do you have for long term?"

The woman stared at her. The scientist stared at her. The men around Luan stared at her. Heck, _Luan_ was staring at her, and she couldn't blame any of them. The art of the trade was not her forte.

Leni stared straight ahead. She couldn't falter, not even for a moment. She needed to be every bit as cold and calculated as Grace was. If this was going to work.

Victoria's confusion suddenly twitched, and she started to smile.

"Eheh," she chuckled. "Eheh-he-he-he. Ha-hahahahahah!"

She threw her head back and cackled, holding her hand up to cover her mouth in an old-fashioned mannerism. The room echoed with her laughter for a minute or two before she calmed down.

"Goodness. Me." She wiped a tear from her eye. "I didn't think we were _this_ much alike. Well, well, well. What did you have in mind?"

"How about a promise?" Leni prompted. "I heard crime lords have this thing about honor."

"They do," Victoria agreed. "and what promise would that be?"

"You get the file. And after tonight," Leni worded. "the Loud family is off limits."

"Including you?"

"No." Leni answered.

"Huh," she lulled her tongue against her teeth. "Interesting."

She paced over to Luan. She reached over and pulled a gun from her henchman's coat. She pulled the trigger in the air, the sound ringing in everyone's ears. She leveled the gun to Luan's head.

The teen girl gave a whimper and was only kept from collapsing by her captors.

"And what if I just shot her in the head, right now?"

Leni took a short and silent breath.

"You won't." she answered.

"Why not?"

"I'll leave," Leni answered. "And I'll give the video to the police. And post it on every social media app I can download on one phone."

Victoria smirked.

And then she pulled the trigger.

Leni jumped, holding her breath while looking a wide eyed Luan in the eyes. Time seemed to resume when one of the guards fell over, groaning and clutching his leg.

"Well done," Victoria set the gun on the table. "I hate to admit it, but I was wrong about you. You are a player. So committed to getting what you want, that you'll do _anything_ to obtain it. I admire that. I mean. I hate it right now. But I respect it.

"We have a deal," she agreed, sitting at the desk, and lacing her slender fingers in front of her face. "The Louds are off limits. If anyone so much as bumps into them on purpose, I'll take care of them. Was there anything else?"

_Pretend to think it over, then be reluctant to agree._

Leni looked off to the side, then slowly shook her head.

"Good," the woman nodded. "Now, the video, if you would kindly."

Leni pulled a thumb drive out of her pocket. She tossed it at the woman, who plucked it out the air with the daintiness of a father dropping.

"Lovely," She handed it to the mad scientist. He plugged it into an apparatus on his arm, typing away on the screen on his wrist.

"The algorithm proves sound, Miss Grace," the Doctor reported. "No other copies found in any cloud or database. And no downloads to anything other than this drive."

"Well," Victoria said, "A deal is a deal, darling."

She snapped her fingers. The men cut Luan free and she reached up to remove the gag. After which she lunged forward towards Leni. Leni stepped forward and hugged her sister as she hysterically cried into her shoulder. Leni kept her eyes on the corner of the desk, where the gun rested. Fiend and Grace were in her peripheral vision.

A wash of colorful emotions colored such violent scenarios in her mind. She thought of… _hurting_ everyone in this room. She thought of everyone hurting her, and her family. Suddenly, she felt the weight return to her shoulders.

"Are we free to go?" Leni asked as Luan pulled back.

Victoria Grace gave a despicably sweet smile.

"Of course," she answered. "Unless you want to stay for tea. We can braid each other's hair if you want."

Leni scooped up Luan, hooking her arms behind her back and under her knees, and took to the sky with a labored breath.

"Not very strong, is she?" Leni heard Grace mention to one of her cohorts.

Leni took to the sky, flying as fast as she can with her luggage.

"Everyone okay?" Leni asked after a few minutes.

Luan rubbed her head into Leni's shoulder. "Yeah," she huffed. "I'm okay."

…

"I'm cold," Lana complained, latched onto Leni's back. Her tail was wrapped around Leni's midsection for extra security.

"Ohmygod-whatwasthat!?" Luan jumped in Leni's arms.

Leni set down on the roof of a building some miles away from Luan's captors. The two older girls watched as the air in front of them shimmered, and Lana appeared. Naked, shivering, but otherwise looking awfully pleased with herself. She pulled the thumb drive out of her mouth, the one that was identical to the one left in Victoria Grace's office. The one she switched after Fiend had checked for copies.

Leni pulled out her phone and called Officer Hobbs.

"Hey," she took a breath, "We did it. We got it."


	24. Chapter 24

"Stunning news today, as a total of one-hundred-eighty-two individual arrests were made this morning. Including the famous designer Victoria Grace herself. The charge? Kidnapping, conspiracy of murder, money laundering, aiding and abetting, and more to come. Judges have agreed that the severity of these charges need to be addressed immediately. Bale has been denied, and the courthouses have a busy weekend ahead of them. This is Katherine Mulligan, watching closely as new details come to light."

Leni sat back into the couch, letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"So that's it?" Rita wondered, worry still present. "She can't… get us?"

"Assets frozen," Lori reported, "And they're confident that they caught everyone directly involved with criminal activities. She has no money, and no thugs at her disposal."

"What about the "Deal" you two made?" Luna asked Leni. "Didn't that mean anything?"

Leni looked down, feeling ashamed.

"Crime families might have honor, but that doesn't mean we play by their rules," Lori justified. "She's a thief, and a murderer, and just unstable in general. We did what we had to do."

"I guess," Luna shrugged.

Lincoln piped up, "But she was running the prison with all those criminals. Who's going to watch over it now?"

Nobody answered. The sisters, unsure of what the new day would bring, gathered in the living room with their brother and parents. They were all seemingly waiting for the same things.

Leni hadn't gotten the chance to check with Luan. She sat away from them, on the couch, with a laptop in her lap. She typed and clicked on the screen, seemingly avoiding the older girl. Leni was too aware that the first thing she did when they rescued Luan was happily reporting the thumb drive had been recovered. And by putting Lana at risk, no less. How was Luan taking all of this?

"Kids?" their father called out, he stepped into the living room and paused. "Everyone's here? Good. There's something your mother and I need to talk to you about."

Rita got up and stood with her husband. The two looked at the group of kids.

"We decided to take the Casagrande's up on their offer," Lynn Sr. announced. "We're going to be staying with them until things calm down a bit here."

"WHAT?!"

Everyone rushed them with questions, bombarding the two adults with outcry. Leni's heart tied itself into knots.

"Now, now," their dad spoke over them, "That's enough. It's just not safe here at the moment. The restaurant isn't going to be finished in another month and a half, and school isn't starting back up until next year. The Casagrande's have an extra floor for us to live on, but it's cramped. We're going to be spending the day packing some essential items. And _only_ the essential stuff. We can always come back later."

Everyone looked at each other, unsure.

"Come on everyone," Rita encouraged. "Up the stairs. Your father and I will be along in a minute to help you pack. That means a month's worth of underwear, Lincoln. No recycling."

"Lynn's worse than me," he complained. "Why do you gotta call _me_ out?"

Everyone solemnly climbed the stairs, except for Leni and, oddly, Luan. When Lori saw that they hadn't moved, she hung out by the stairs, letting everyone pass her.

Luan got up with her laptop and sat next to Leni.

"Here." She handed off the device.

Leni looked at the screen, her eyes absorbed the screen, but she wasn't retaining what she was seeing.

"What is-?"

"It's a donation page," Luan explained. "I know you need money, so I thought this would be a tasteful way to… get funds. Lisa helped set up the bank account link and security."

"How?"

"I do run a business, you know," Luan folded her arms. There was something to her words. Something underneath it all.

"People won't be able to donate more than fifty bucks a week. No advertising. No bull-crap. So… there."

She got up and made her way to the stairs. "I got to go pack and update my webpage again. Not that anybody cares."

"Luan, wait," Leni got up to follow her. She had to stop to set the computer down. "Please."

Luan paused, her foot on the first step.

"I…" Leni struggled to think of where to begin. "I'm sorry. I was supposed to protect you, and I-"

"I know what you were supposed to do," Luan suddenly turned on her. "I get kidnapped and tossed around like a salad, while you fly around doing whatever you want. You weren't even out to save me! You're whole plan was to keep your stupid video! But it all worked out in the end, so what does it even matter?"

"Luan," Leni pleaded. She was starting to tear up. "I didn't… I wasn't trying to…"

"Yeah, whatever." Luan dismissed. "You get whatever you want. And everyone ignores me. Same as always."

Luan stormed upstairs. Lori looked between the two girls, giving a look that showed she was just as disturbed as Leni was, and followed Luan upstairs.

Leni thought back to the other night. Did she even ask if Luan was okay? She landed on that rooftop, and she got everyone home. She handed the cops the thumb drive…

She can't remember.

_Am I really that self-absorbed? _Leni wondered. _That I really can't even be bothered to check?_

"Leni, sweetie," her mom reached out. "Go upstairs and pack."

Leni blinked. "I… I can't."

"Don't worry about what Luan said," her dad advised. "We'll talk to her. Now go upstairs and-"

"I'm." Leni fought to say the words. "I'm. Not. Leaving."

"What?"

"Honey, what are you-?"

The tears started to flow now. Leni's fists were balled.

"I did this," she said, "I did everything. So that we could be safe. I didn't want to leave my home behind!"

"It's not safe here, honey."

"Yes, it is!" Leni begged. "I fought so hard, so that we wouldn't have to do this!"

"This is not a debate, Leni. Go to your room. We'll be up to help you in a minute."

"I'm responsible!" she begged. "I'm responsible for everyone in this city!"

"That doesn't matter anymore, Leni," her dad said. "We need to protect our family now."

"This is my job!" Leni continued. "I have a... a responsibility to the people out there! They're all counting on _me_!"

"No. It isn't." her mom dismissed. "Not anymore. No child should be risking her life like this."

"No one should be afraid to go outside!" Leni argued. "No one should have to be scared of... of bad, awful people trouncing around without anyone to stop them!"

"You don't know what you're talking about," Rita waved her hand. "Go to your room."

Leni stared at both of her parents. Both of them unmoving in their decision. Leni flew up the stairs, passing Lori coming down the stairs, and shutting her bedroom door behind her with a slam.

She dove under her covers, burying herself in her blankets. She sobbed. She released a flood of sadness that she couldn't label. She felt like a brat. Like a child throwing a tantrum. She didn't want to leave.

She didn't want anything to change.

She couldn't tell how much time had passed, but she felt a hand press on her blanket.

"Hey, Leni?"

Leni didn't move. She didn't want to be seen. She wanted to disappear.

"Leni."

The blanket was pulled back, Leni turned to the intruder, seeing her little brother.

"Hey," Lincoln said. "You mind the company?"

Leni didn't answer, but she scooched over and sat up in her bed. Lincoln took a seat and got under the covers with her.

"Heard you had a fight," Lincoln noted.

"Hm." Leni grunted. She laid back down, bringing the boy down next to her. She hugged him like a teddy bear, which he allowed.

"You okay?" the boy wondered.

"Just… stay here a while," Leni instructed.

Her mind cleared enough for her to drift off to sleep.

* * *

This couch smells funny. Eh. Can't be bothered with it. Someone else will take care of it.

That person just glared at him. Whatever. He'll leave. They always leave.

The TV is losing the image to static again. It'll pass. Probably. If it doesn't, he'll just take a nap. Someone else will fix it in the morning. While he's out.

He's hungry. There's food in the kitchen, but he has to get up for it. Ugh. Not worth it.

Aw crud. Now he has to use a toilet. What a pain. Well, the couch smells weird anyways…

_SLOTH!_

He flinched. There he goes again. Every night, with the threats and demands. It'll go away eventually. Honestly. This would drive a lesser man crazy.

_Get over here this instant! You lazy, slimy sack of_-

The voice paused suddenly. Sloth took the second to lazily swat a fly away.

_I understand your motivations. You want to rest, to have all your worries disappear. If you help me, I will reward you. You will want for nothing._

Want for nothing? Sloan didn't know what that meant, but it sounded pretty good.

But he has to get up first?

"Aw man," he complained. "What a pain."

He shifted his feet for the first time in days. He placed weight on them and stood from the indention in the couch. He looked lazily across the room at the doors. He took one lazy step, and then another.

_Now, dammit. Now!_

Sloan zipped across the room, knocking everyone in his way off their feet. He was outside and down the street in the blink of an eye. He'd be at the boss's location at some point in this morning. Maybe before the sun can come up if he pushes it.

* * *

Leni sucked in air through her nose. She lifted her head in the direction of the noise. Lily was awake.

Her brother had disappeared from her hold, no doubt asleep in his own bed. Leni pulled herself out from under the covers and stretched her arms over her head.

Lori wasn't in bed. Odd, but not her immediate concern.

She drifted out her bedroom door and down the hall; her toes barely grazed the carpet.

There was a light on downstairs. Her parents' voices, going back and forth. Lori's too. She kept going. She didn't feel like arguing any more than she already had.

She cracked the door to the nursery, seeing Lily awake and fussing. Lisa was on her side, still dead to the world. The Loud house was a host of heavy sleepers.

Leni stepped in and made her way to the crib. With the parents downstairs, they probably don't realize Lily is awake right now. They keep the baby monitor in the bedroom, and they rely on Lori the rest of the time.

"Hey, Lily," Leni whispered, grazing her fingers on the baby's stomach. "What's wrong?"

Is she hungry? Did she need a diaper change? Did it even matter?

Lily was already so much bigger than last year. She's almost at making half formed sentences. Yet she didn't explain what was wrong through the tears on her face.

"Come on, Lily," Leni hefted her up, holding her over her shoulder. "Tell me what's wrong."

It only gets worse, you know. Soon you'll be in middle school, where you'll be judged every second of every day, which lasts till your last day of high school. You'll have to fight for the right to work. Then you'll have to fight to not die of exhaustion. Then, if you have the energy, you'll have to fight to be treated like a human being. Taxes. House payments. Climate change. Corruption. Politics.

Oh, and you'll be fighting our parents, apparently. Since they're the ones with all the good ideas.

Save the tears, Lily. You'll be needing them later.

Leni felt all of those thoughts rest on the bridge of her nose. She hung her head and tried to shake it all loose.

"No." she spoke to herself. "That's… that's not right."

"Eh?" Lily prompted.

"We're both just grumpy," Leni swirled from side to side, patting Lily on the back.

"The truth," she said aloud, "The real truth; is that hope can be the hardest thing to do sometimes. Hoping that things will get better seems so… useless. But it can. And it will. Maybe not tomorrow, but we'll get there. I promise."

She hugged the baby close, and she hugged her back.

"I'm going to keep trying," Leni continued. "I'm still going to be… the best person I _can_ be. And I'm going to hope that's enough. That's… all I can do."

Lily burped over her shoulder and seemed to settle down. Leni patted her back.

"Right," she agreed. "That's what I'll do."

She rocked Lily until she drifted off to sleep and set the little girl down in her crib.

She made her way back to her own room, all her negativity subsiding for now.

"Leni?"

Leni looked back and saw that Lori had stopped at their doorway. She looked tired. What time is it anyways?

"Could you-" she hesitated. "Would you mind coming downstairs? Mom and Dad want to talk to you."


	25. Chapter 25

The van was loaded. Passengers were strapped in. And the whole four-wheeled catastrophe rolled back into the street before driving forward, on its way to another city some hours away.

Leni sighed, waving it off. Lori stood next to her, waving as well.

"Well," Lori sighed. "That's that."

The "arrangement," as Leni understood it, was that she'd be allowed to stay home, provided that Lori stayed with her.

It was amazing to Leni how she could be so relieved and yet so heartbroken at the same time.

"Hey," Lori caught her sister's attention. "I'm going to go talk with Mr. Grouse. He mentioned having an old car for sale. After that, I'm going job hunting."

"Want me to come with you?"

Lori shook her head. "No. You should rest. Why don't you check that donations page?"

"Okay."

"After that, shoot me a text," she instructed. "See what you want for dinner."

"Dad cooked us a bunch of meals, though."

"If that's what you want," Lori shrugged. "I'll bring home Starbucks later."

Leni's mouth started to drool. "Yes, please."

* * *

Alarms went off across the facility. Bodies littered the floor of the prison. Sloth was instructed to leave most of them alive, and he was happy to oblige. So much work, killing a guy. And he had too much to do already.

He freed the prisoners, each door creeping open one by one.

King stepped out first. With the power dampening lights out of commission, he felt stronger with every step.

"My subjects…" he growled to the criminals in the room. "It's time to take our place… as rulers of this accursed city!"

Roars of confirmation and victory echoed throughout the makeshift manor. The building, for all its seclusion, was still far too close to the city.

* * *

The ride was almost completely silent as the family made their way to Great Lakes City. Music seemed unseemly. Horseplay appeared blasphemous. Any game or sign of mischief was silently deemed inappropriate by the individual occupants.

Fifty-five minutes to noon, they pulled up to the bodega in the middle of town.

"Alright everyone," Rita instructed. "Let's all go visit the Casagrande's. I want everyone to be on their best behavior, and be sure to thank them for letting us stay!"

Grumbles of agreement rumbled among the crowd.

Lincoln huffed as he lowered himself to the ground. Luna stood by at the ready while Luan handed him his crutches.

"Need help with the stairs, bro?" Luna offered.

"No." Lincoln sighed. "I got it. It's just going to take a minute."

Lincoln looked around the lobby and sighed. _It'd be too easy if they had an elevator, wouldn't it?_

With effort, he made his way to the second floor, and with his sisters standing next to him, he rang the doorbell.

Ronnie Anne opened it with a smile.

"Hey guys- Whoa," she blinked. "Are you okay?"

It was then that Lincoln realized they might all have a sour look on their faces.

"Yeah," Lincoln tried to smile back. "Um, thanks for letting us stay here."

"Yeah, no problem," she stepped aside, letting a kindly old woman step into view.

"Oh hello, dearies!" she greeted the three of them. "Oh Lincoln, you little trooper, why don't you come in? You can rest for a bit while I show your sisters to your rooms."

"Sounds good to me," Luna smiled, following the older woman into the hallway. Luan followed suit, though silently. She seemed more sad than angry. "Our parents are downstairs. They'll be up in just a second."

"Oh, wait!" Abuela turned around. "Lincoln, there's some sodas in the fridge, and help yourself to the pantry!"

"Thanks," Lincoln waved.

With that, Ronnie Anne and Lincoln were alone.

"My cousins can help with the bags and stuff," Ronnie walked Lincoln to the couch. "Are… are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lincoln huffed. "I mean, I don't know."

"I heard Lori and Leni weren't coming," she added.

"Yeah," he answered. "Not too jazzed about that."

They sat down, and Lincoln set his crutches aside.

"So what happened?"

Lincoln sighed. She'd been so cool with keeping this a secret. Both her and Bobby, from their own family no less. Crap; did Lori have a cover story for why she- of all people- wasn't coming to Great Lakes City?

"A lot," Lincoln rubbed his eyes. "Alright, here's the abridged version…"

Lincoln explained as best he could, as much as he could remember. After the fight with King, even more people started popping up with powers, except this time they had an animal theme to them. If he had to guess, anyone who was exposed to radiation, and _didn't_ get powers the first time around, got powers _this_ time around. Including Lana, who now looked like a lizard person. King called it his "Second Wave" and now its clear he wanted it so he had more people to control.

And that's not even going into the fact that Victoria Grace, fashion designer extraordinaire, tried to make a play as a crime lord (lady, whatever). She even had a mad scientist in her employ, one that tried to build a machine to take away Leni's powers.

Leni confronted her about it, Grace kidnapped Luan and held her hostage. Leni got her out, and even got the evidence to send her to jail. But…

"…I guess that was the last straw," Lincoln sighed, taking a breath. "Mom and Dad are too scared to stay in the city anymore. Now we're here."

The two sat in silence for a while. Neither knew what to say to the other.

"I'm sorry," Ronnie Anne finally spoke. "I had no idea."

"It's okay," Lincoln nodded. "Sorry I haven't been in touch, but…" he gestured to his legs. "I've been working through some stuff."

"So… why'd you all leave home, again?"

"Because… It's not safe?"

"I mean, it worked out, didn't it?"

"Luan almost died."

"But she didn't," Ronnie Anne argued. "I mean, I'm not judging, or anything, but doesn't this all mean that Leni did exactly what she said she'd do? She protected you guys. She's protecting the city right now. I mean, doesn't that count for something?"

...

* * *

Leni straightened in her seat as a sound pierced through her ears. She stood, setting her laptop aside. The sound was unmistakable. Screaming. Horror. A cry for help.

Leni cringed as she remembered the donations page dedicated to her. She wasn't sure she deserved such a thing, but that didn't matter right now. She made her way upstairs and into her room. She changed out of her clothes, wearing the costume that had turned into her uniform of choice. She paused when she saw the phone on her bed.

There was a sudden chill up her spine, like something awful was about to happen. She shook it off and put the phone into a side pouch. It was time to go.

A short flight downtown showed the signs of distress. The screams and cries for help were coming from the mall.

She flew through the massive hole of the shopping center to see the source of the destruction. King and his minions were free!

"Bow before us!" the lion man bellowed. "And we'll only kill a certain few of you! Offer us your tributes in this faux pantheon you sycophants worship!"

Leni sighed and rolled her shoulders back. Her hands were on her hips, and she looked down on King with a disappointed frown.

"For the record," she spoke aloud. "There's nothing wrong with having a spot to hang out and socialize."

King looked back at her and grinned.

"Ah. Look who it is." He waved an arm at the chaos and looting. "I believe you've met my army?"

The beast-men all fell in behind him. Goat, Void-Frog, Leech, Hate-Raiser, and the newest addition of the sloth-boy, Sloan.

"You might have noticed the theme around them?" King grinned. "Shame about your sister, though. She would have made such a fine addition to my army. The perfect Envy."

"Why this?" Leni demanded. "What's the point to making them based on…"

"The Seven Sins?" King licked his chops. "Isn't it obvious? When I take over this world, I'll destroy any semblance to the old one! Rights and wrongs are deemed by the strong! And none are stronger than me!"

"That's enough," Leni shook her head and waved her hand to dismiss them. "I've beaten you all before. I can do it again."

"Not all at once, though," Frog ribbited.

"Yeah," Hate agreed. "And with King's anger fueling me, I bet even I can tear you apart."

"Let's not be too hasty," Leech held up his hands, the disgusting needles reaching out from his palms. "I want her first."

"I want to pla-a-a-ay with her a little," Goat brayed with a wicked smile.

"Not me," Sloan bared his claws. "I wanna get this over with."

Leni dropped to the ground, and set her feet apart. She held her hands in front of her, ready to fight.

The villains charged at her, with snarling ferocity.

* * *

Lori walked out of the office with her application in hand. Just needs to download the_ Food Fast_ App, and she'll be all set to make some deliveries.

She walked down the street to her car. Well, that might be too kind to the vehicle. It was more rust than car. Lori wasn't the best with car models, but she couldn't even tell what company the original owner of this mechanical deathtrap was.

Well, it ran. That's what counted.

As she made her way back to the parking spot, she passed by some construction guys crowding around a radio.

_Well, at least they're not catcalling me._ Lori thought to herself.

Then she got within earshot of the radio.

_"Eye witness reports say the mall has become ground zero for another superhuman attack. Suspects currently sighted include the lion-man hybrid, King, and several associates. All citizens are being asked to stay away from the sight and let the police and Sky-Girl handle it._"

Oh no.

Lori ran the rest of the way to her car. She didn't know what she could do, but she had to get there as fast as she could.

* * *

Things are not going well for the teenaged superhero.

She had initially charged forward, figuring that, with her speed, she had all the time in the world to figure out how to take out six villains _at the same time_, but she was blindsided. Sloan attacked her, tackling her through the glass display case of an underwear shop.

Leni's cape had fallen over her head, blinding her as she sat in the knocked over racks of bras. She flipped it over, looking up at Sloan in astonishment.

"You're… like me…?"

Sloan shrugged, and reeled an arm back over his head.

Leni lunged forward, grabbing him by the wrist and slamming him into the floor as more people cried out from their hiding places. Some took the opportunity to scramble away.

"Sloan, I know you can beat this!" she pleaded. "You can resist King's control. My sister can do it, and so can you!"

"Ow," he groaned as he sat up to standing. "Why would you make that point _after_ attacking me? 'Sides. I don't want to. All I gotta do is kill you. Then I'll be free to do whatever. So if you could just die real quick, that'd be great."

"Wait your turn, Sloth!"

Leni's vision was blurred as a massive black hand grabbed her head, flinging her out of the store and slamming her face into the tiles outside. The hand let her go, and a hoof started slamming into the small of her back.

"Make her a damn _cripple_!" Hate-Raiser snarled and drooled. "Embarrassing me like she did!"

"She's mine!" Something stuck to the back of her neck, it wrenched her into the air and whipped her into a wall, breaking more tiles before slamming her onto her back. Her blurry vision soon focused on Frog. "I'll put her on display! The finest piece of my collection!"

"Let me at her!" Leech ran up to her. "I'll drain her dry! I'll watch her die!"

"Wait, allow me," Goat intersected. "I'll stick her in a dream state so deep, she'll never wake again. She'll practically be a vegetable. We'll be free to do whatever we want with her after that."

"No." Leni coughed up something wet. It was suddenly hard to breathe. She fought to get back up. Something was definitely broken, but she couldn't tell what. Her shock was shielding her from the pain while her healing power is doing everything it can to keep her alive.

"No." someone else commanded. "As King, it is my duty, and privilege, to dispose of this trash."

Leni coughed as King stood over her. She flipped over to her stomach. She lifted herself on her elbows, and started clawing at the ground. She had to get away. She has to regroup. Come up with a plan.

"Uh oh," King mocked as he reached down and grabbed her head. "Watch out, gentlemen. I think the hero is developing a new superpower!"

Cruel laughter sounded the girl as she tried to pull herself free of King's grip.

"Look," he said, stepped over to something. "I think she can go through walls now."

He reeled Leni back over his shoulder and slammed her into a concrete wall. The tiles and plaster completely shattered and rained down on King's fist and Leni's shoulders.

"Oops," King taunted further. "Let's keep trying."

He reeled his arm back, and slammed her head into the wall. Again, and again, and again.

Leni was starting to lose consciousness. Her vision was red. Her mind was static. Her body felt numb. Her ears were ringing. She could taste blood and smell the iron in the air. Was that hers? She couldn't think.

There was nothing else but this. This gruesome rhythm.

* * *

The chaos and rubble did little to dissuade the press from observing the action. As cameramen fought to get past the police barriers, Katherine Mulligan and her cameraman got through, and hid behind some of the malls plastic shrubbery.

"Are you getting this, Jerry?" the reporter questioned.

"We're rolling."

"This is Katherine Mulligan with Royal City News," the woman reported, albeit in a hushed voice. "We're live on the scene of this latest villain attack, and Skygirl has just entered the scene."

"That's enough," the superhero demanded. "I've beaten you all before, and I can do it again."

"A paragon of bravery and virtue," Katherine narrated. "Truly a real hero through and through."

They watched as the hero was assaulted by her enemies. Smashing into a store, only to be drug back out and slammed to the walls and flooring. How in the world is that girl even alive right now? They watched as they made their disturbing suggestion, and looked on in horror as the massive King pulled her up by her head and walked up to a wall. He slammed her face into it. And then he repeated the process, over and over again.

"Oh my God," Katherine covered her mouth. She felt like she was going to be sick, but the camera was right over her shoulder. She kept reporting. "I… Our superhero… the brave girl is doing everything she can to defeat these villains… but she is outnumbered… and needs help. I don't know if… there's anybody out there who _can_ help. I…"

Katherine couldn't help but look on in despair.

"I'm not sure there's anything anyone can do."

* * *

She stood, setting her laptop aside. The sound was unmistakable. Screaming. Horror. A cry for help.

Leni cringed as she remembered the donations page dedicated to her. She wasn't sure she deserved such a thing, but that didn't matter right now. She made her way upstairs and into her room. She changed out of her clothes, wearing the costume that had turned into her uniform of choice. She paused when she saw the phone on her bed.

There was a sudden chill up her spine, like something awful was about to happen. She shook it off and put the phone into a side pouch. It was time to go.

A short flight downtown showed the signs of distress. The screams and cries for help were coming from the mall.

She flew threw the massive hole of the shopping center to see the source of the destruction. King and his minions were free!

"Bow before us!" the lion man bellowed. "And we'll only kill some of you! Offer us your tributes in this faux pantheon you sycophants worship!"

Leni sighed and rolled her shoulders back. Her hands were on her hips, and she looked down on King with a disappointed look.

"For the record," she spoke aloud. "There's nothing wrong with having a spot to hang out and socialize."

King looked back at her and grinned.

"Ah. Look who it is." He waved an arm at the chaos and looting. "I believe you've met my army?"

The beast-men all fell in behind him. Goat, Void-Frog, Leech, Hate-Raiser, and the newest addition of the sloth-boy, Sloan.

"You might have noticed the theme around them?" King grinned. "Shame about your sister, though. She would have made such a fine addition to my army."

"Why this?" Leni demanded. "What's the point to making them based on…"

"The Seven Sins?" King licked his chops. "Isn't it obvious? When I take over this world, I'll destroy any semblance to the old one! Rights and wrongs are deemed by the strong! And none are stronger than me!"

"That's enough," Leni shook her head and waved her hand to dismiss them. "I've beaten you all before. I can do it again."

"Not all at once, though," Frog ribbited.

"Yeah," Hate agreed. "And with King's anger fueling me, I beat we can tear her apart."

"Let's not be too hasty," Leech held up his hands.

"I want to pla-a-a-ay with her," Goat brayed with a wicked smile.

"Not me," Sloan bared his claws. "I wanna get this over with."

Leni dropped to the ground, and set her feet apart. She held her hands in front of her, ready to fight.

The villains charged at her, with snarling ferocity.

* * *

Lori walked out of the office with her application in hand. Just needs to download the_ Food Fast_ App, and she'll be all set to make some deliveries.

She walked down the street to her car. Well, that might be too kind to the vehicle. It was more rust than car. Lori wasn't the best with car models, but she couldn't even tell what company the original owner of this mechanical deathtrap was.

Well, it ran. That's what counted.

As she made her way back to the parking spot, she passed by some construction guys crowding around a radio.

_Well, at least they're not catcalling me._ Lori thought to herself.

Then she got within earshot of the radio.

_"Eye witness reports say the mall has become ground zero for another superhuman attack. Suspects currently sighted include the lion-man hybrid, King, and several associates. All citizens are being asked to stay away from the sight and let the police and Sky-Girl handle it._"

Oh no.

Lori ran the rest of the way to her car. She didn't know what she could do, but she had to get there as fast as she could.

* * *

Things are not going well for the teenaged superhero.

She had initially charged forward, figuring that, with her speed, she had all the time in the world to figure out how to take out six villains _at the same time_, but she was blindsided. Sloan attacked her, tackling her through the glass display case of an underwear store.

Leni's cape had fallen over her head, blinding her as she sat in the knocked over racks of bras. She flipped it over, looking up at Sloan in astonishment.

"You're… like me…?"

Sloan shrugged, and reeled an arm back over his head.

Leni lunged forward, grabbing him by the wrist and slamming him into the floor as more people cried out from their hiding places.

"Sloan, I know you can beat this!" she pleaded. "You can resist King's control. My sister can do it, and so can you!"

"Ow," he groaned as he sat up to standing. "Why would you make that point _after_ attacking me? 'Sides. I don't want to. All I gotta do is kill you. Then I'll be free to do whatever. So if you could just die real quick, that'd be great."

"Wait your turn, Sloth!"

Leni's vision was blurred as a massive black hand grabbed her head, flinging her out of the store and slamming her face into the tiles outside. The hand let her go, and a hoof started slamming into the small of her back.

"Make her a damn cripple!" Hate-Raiser snarled and drooled. "Embarrassing me like she did!"

"She's mine!" Something stuck to the back of her neck, it wrenched her into the air and whipped her into a wall, breaking more tiles before slamming her onto her back. Her blurry vision soon focused on Frog. "I'll put her on display! The finest piece of my collection!"

"Let me at her!" Leech ran up to her. "I'll drain her dry! I'll watch her die!"

"Wait, allow me," Goat intersected. "I'll stick her in a dream state so deep, she'll practically be a vegetable. We'll be free to do whatever we want with her after that."

"No." Leni coughed up something wet. It was suddenly hard to breathe. She fought to get back up. Something was definitely broken, but she couldn't tell what. Her shock was shielding her from the pain while her healing power is doing everything it can to keep her alive.

"No." someone else agreed. "As King, it is my duty, and privilege, to dispose of this trash."

Leni coughed as King stood over her. She flipped over to her stomach. She lifted herself on her arms, and started clawing at the ground. She had to get away. She has to regroup. Come up with a plan.

"Uh oh," King mocked as he reached down and grabbed her head. "Watch out, gentlemen. I think the hero is developing a new superpower!"

Cruel laughter sounded the girl as she tried to pull herself free of King's grip.

"Look," he said, stepped over to something. "I think she can go through walls now."

He reeled Leni back over his shoulder and slammed her into a concrete wall. The tiles and plaster shattered and rained down on King's fist and Leni's shoulders.

"Oops," King taunted further. "Let's keep trying."

He reeled his arm back, and slammed her head into the wall. Again, and again, and again.

Leni was starting to lose consciousness. Her vision was red. Her mind was static. Her body felt numb. Her ears were ringing. She could taste blood and smell the iron in the air. Was that hers? She couldn't think.

There was nothing else but this. This gruesome rhythm.

* * *

The chaos and rubble did little to dissuade the press from observing the action. As cameramen fought to get past the police barriers, Katherine Mulligan and her cameraman got through, and hid behind some of the malls plastic shrubbery.

"Are you getting this, Jerry?" the reporter questioned.

"We're rolling."

"This is Katherine Mulligan with Royal City News," the woman reported, albeit in a hushed voice. "We're live on the scene of this latest villain attack, and Skygirl has just entered the scene."

"That's enough," the superhero demanded. "I've beaten you all before, and I can do it again."

"A paragon of bravery and virtue," Katherine narrated. "Truly a real hero through and through."

They watched as the hero was assaulted by her enemies. Smashing into a store, only to be drug back out and slammed to the walls and flooring. How in the world is that girl even alive right now? They watched as they made their disturbing suggestion, and looked on in horror as the massive King pulled her up by her head and walked up to a wall. He slammed her face into it. And then he repeated the process, over and over again.

"Oh my God," Katherine covered her mouth. She felt like she was going to be sick, but the camera was right over her shoulder. She kept reporting. "I… Our superhero… the brave girl is doing everything she can to defeat these villains… but she is outnumbered… and needs help. I don't know if… there's anybody out there who _can_ help. I…"

Katherine couldn't help but look on in despair.

"I'm not sure there's anything _anyone_ can do."

* * *

Leni's mind was gone. She could still feel the sensations of her body, but it was an island. Everything off the island was just a suggestion. There's no proof that anything existed besides this island.

_Maybe I should just go to sleep_.

Something warm flashed across her skin. She flinched at the touch, but didn't retaliate. There was mumble outside, but she couldn't hear it. Something dropped her to the cold floor. There were trails of warmth and heat racing above her, but she couldn't see or hear what it was. A pair of hands grabbed her and started dragging her away.

Someone was crying out. Someone else was crying. Who was that? She sounds… familiar.

She was placed on some cushions; her head was next to someone's lap. There was shouting. There was wind. One of the voices sounded familiar too, but for a different reason. That third voice sounded new.

Leni felt cold.

* * *

Lori got out of the car, tears streaming down her face. This was not happening. This could not be happening.

Her passengers joined her outside. It would've been bad enough on its own if Meltdown was back in town, but now he had a friend.

"I think she'll be fine," the Indian boy said with a slight accent. "Let's get her inside."

Lori had grabbed Leni's shoulders, walking her out of the car with a blanket covering her head. Meltdown walked ahead and opened the door for them.

The new boy wasn't anyone Lori recognized. He was sharply dressed, giving the illusion that he was a little older than what he actually was. The sixteen-year-old wore a buttoned-down white dress shirt, black work pants, tennis shoes, and a pair of square rimmed glasses. They might have been thicker than Lisa's though Lori doubted it.

"Easy, now," Raj instructed. He had an accent, but it wasn't Indian. It was something else. Lori suspected French, but she was too distraught to think about it right now.

The got her inside and laid her gently on the couch. As Lori walked by her, she felt something grab her wrist.

She screamed as she looked down and saw that Leni had reached up and grabbed her.

"Easy now!" Raj held up an arm. "She's still conscious. Leni, can you hear anything? Give a thumbs up if you can hear me."

The hand let go of Lori and flicked her thumb up towards the ceiling. Only to reach out again.

Lori met her grasp with her hand, and she held onto her sister like a lifeline.

"What's happening?" she asked the boy. "She's… she's in such bad shape. I thought you said she was dead."

"No," Raj disagreed. "I did not. I said this would kill a normal person. Let me see…"

He attentively lifted the cloth covering her face.

"Hmm," he hummed. "Interesting. There's definitely more here than the was before. Her muscles and skin are growing back to what they were."

"Really?" Lori leaned over his shoulder. She lost her stomach back when she first saw her. "That's a good thing?"

"Give it time," he instructed. "Let's get some peroxide, and a washcloth, just in case. Don't want anything getting infected."

"Okay," Lori stood and turned. She made eye contact with Meltdown and registered his presence here once again. She leered her eyes at him.

Was she really about to leave Leni here with him? She doesn't even want him in the same room as her.

"…Or I could get it," Raj coughed. "If you just told me."

"Cabinet," Lori answered. "Bathroom at the end of the hall. Upstairs."

"Right," Raj made himself scarce.

Lori and Meltdown stared at each other for a moment.

His costume had changed since she saw him last. It was still a pattern of red, black, and orange. Only now it looked more like a motorcycle outfit. The helmet's visor framed his face, highlighting his eyes and mouth. Lori had a feeling Leni was into him, and she could see why. He was handsome, but what he did went beyond all of that. Holding her family hostage. Declaring a war on gangsters and criminals. Manipulating other people to do what he wants.

He cleared his throat.

"I heard…" he addressed Lori for the first time since seeing her today. "I heard about your brother. I'm glad he's okay."

"You don't get to be glad," Lori spat. "Tell me why I'm not beating you to death with a baseball bat right now."

He cringed at her words but didn't back down.

"Because I saved Leni's life," he answered. "And… like what I said earlier, I'm here to help."

"I think you've down enough to my family," Lori gritted her teeth.

Meltdown lowered his head, considering something.

"If you want me gone, that's fine," he answered. "but I came because I heard about King and his plan. I figured you could use the help."

"How do you know anything about King's plan?"

"That would be my fault," Raj answered, stepping down the stairs with the supplies he asked for. "Your sister, Lisa and I are internet friends."

"Lisa talks to you?" Lori wondered. "She's not allowed on the internet."

"We talk through emails," he answered. "Like pen pals."

He started treating Leni's exposed skull. "She's been bouncing ideas off of me, only after swearing me to secrecy. We child prodigies need to stick together, after all.

"Anyways, she wanted my opinions on some of the developments of the past few months. Like Lana's condition and King's apparently psychic commands over his chosen acolytes. I tried to warn her about my theories of King's plan, but her last email explained that she was leaving the next day. That is to say, this morning."

"Right," Lori nodded.

"So I packed everything I could into my father's pickup and drove down here all the way from Ottawa. I believe I may have broken some laws when crossing the border."

Lori turned to Meltdown. "And where do you fit in all of this?"

He shifted from foot to foot.

"Your sister left me in the wilderness," he answered, "at the start of the winter season, no less. I stumbled into hunting what I could, making my way down south. Eventually I found myself in Ottawa. And what's worse, my powers had been getting worse. Growing. If it weren't for Raj, I'd be dead, and half the city would be in a crater."

He turned to show the apparatus on his back. Lori couldn't make sense of the blinking lights and readings, but it looked a little like the Ghostbusters pack.

"I have to unleash my fire every once in a while," he explained. "Relieve the pressure, I guess. But this helps too."

He turned back to face her.

"I'm not here to get back in your good graces," he added. "I'm here because she needs help. And based on what I hear, you all abandoned her."

Lori clenched her fist at her side. She wanted to punch him, but she needed all the help she could get right now.

"Lo…ri…"

Lori spun around and dropped to her sister's side.

"I'm right here, Leni," she grabbed her hand. "What do you need?"

"Water…" she haunted. "Water..."

Lori got up to fetch her a glass. After spilling it drop by drop into Lent's mouth, she finally took a breath. Leni's face… returned to something like normal. Her hair was growing back. Her lips and eyelids had returned. And her skull wasn't cracked anymore, not that she clearly see it.

"There's nothing to do but wait it out," Raj instructed. He sat in a chair next to Leni. "Let's see what's on the news, shall we?"


	26. Chapter 26

Leni's eyes fluttered open. She was back home, staring up at her living room ceiling. She fought to remember when she fell asleep, and when she got home.

She sat up, looking from side to side. Her sister was asleep sitting on the floor and in front of the couch, her head on another boy's shoulder. When Leni stirred, Lori started to wake too, and yelped when she realized her position. She shoved the boy away.

"I have a boyfriend!" she stated defensively.

"You're not my type, luv," the young man rolled his eyes. After rubbing them clean of sleep, he turned back to Leni. "How's our patient doing?"

Lori got up and held Leni's face, turning her head in her inspection.

"It's…back to normal," she observed. Her eyes saddened. "Oh... Your hair..."

"Huh?" Leni blinked. She reached up and felt her hair with her hands. With the exception of some strands, her hair was actually really short. It bounced around just below her ears.

"I can clean that up in a minute," Lori offered.

"You were… unconscious when we met," the boy leaned in next to Lori. "I'm Raj, a friend of Lisa's. Do you remember anything? Any dain bramage?"

"No…" She answered, holding her forehead. "Just… dizzy."

"Hmm." Raj concluded. "That might be normal."

"I remember," Leni trailed off, "King. And his bad guys. I got… pretty banged up."

"Yeah, you did," Lori stood up. "But… We got you out."

Leni blinked and turned to the boy. He barely knew her and he came to help anyways.

"Thanks, Raj."

The boy made a strained face and looked across the room, past Lori. Leni followed his gaze and saw the costume change. He leaned against the wall with his helmet held under his arm.

"TJ," Leni stood up and pulled Lori behind her. The nails of her free hand dug into her palm. "Meltdown."

"I haven't forgotten what you told me, the last time we met," TJ held his palms up. "I'm not here for a fight. At least, not the one you think."

"I told you not to come back here."

TJ blinked, but lowered his head.

"I know," he answered. "Look, I'm here to help."

"We don't need _your_ help," Lori put a hand on Leni's shoulder. "Leni, I have an idea about how to beat King."

She turned the girl to face her. "Do you remember when... Well, when Lincoln got hurt? You flew off for a little while? When I found you, you were... different. Your powers... you were literally unstoppable."

* * *

King roared in his apparent victory, as the block burned and crumbled around him. His minions taking and destroying whatever they desired.

Leni appeared behind the madman's shoulder, just appearing within the blink of an eye. She kicked King's head so hard it sent him flying.

She spotted Goat and crushed his skull under her elbow before he could even think.

She grabbed Sloth's head and screamed until blood started to leak from his nose and ears.

She spotted Hate-Raiser and flew him up to ten thousand feet in an instant, leaving him to drop.

Void-Frog became a red mist when she flew right through him.

King got back up as thunder rolled over head. Leni stared him down as he stumbled, her eyes glowing with a menacingly cold blue hue.

"Grew a spine, have we?" King licked his chops. "Come on then. Let's see what you've got!"

He charged at her. Leni knew she could beat him. She'd break every bone he had and make him run to get them back. She could summon the rage of the whole storm down on top of his head. She willed herself forward, with the full intention of striking him down and _ending_ him.

* * *

"I… What?"

"Back when…" Lori hesitated. "You thought he was dead. You… changed. I'm not sure what happened, but you got… literally like an upgrade, or something? I think if we got that "Other Leni" back out, maybe you could beat King by yourself."

Leni fought to remember. It was vague, but she remembered some of the tidbits of that little misadventure. She didn't remember _everything,_ but she remembered… it wasn't fun.

"Lori," Leni shook her head. "I… I don't, like, _like_ that memory. After Lincoln got hurt, I felt like I wanted to die. I… I tried to make myself die. I starved myself. I stayed up in the sky. I was alone. Even if I thought that was the right thing to do; I, like… I never want to feel like that ever again."

"That's why I came," TJ spoke up. Lori shot him a look.

"That's why _we_ came, Tyrone," Raj interjected. "I guessed King's plan, but I was too late. I meant to contact Lisa, but she doesn't check her emails often enough to get my warning in time. So, I packed away my toothbrush and a semi-stable human fusion reactor and drove down here from Canada."

"You can't be serious," Lori shook her head. "Leni, we can't trust them. Well, _him_."

Leni looked at Tyrone. She was still resentful towards him, but as her last encounter proved; she was woefully unprepared for so many opponents at once. She needed help.

"Actually, we're all lucky to have gotten out of their alive," Raj reflected. "This uneasy alliance of ours is a moot point if we can't thin their numbers. And even then, King's power is… frightening. Bullets are useless. I doubt even the military has enough fire power to bring him down."

"America or Canada?" Leni wondered.

"Yes."

Lori joined the conversation. "Lisa said that ever sense Leni got hit by that generator explosion, her powers have been growing. She's been getting stronger, faster, and even getting new powers. Jeez, this really is one of Lincoln's comic books. Uh, anyway: why is King so much more powerful than Leni?"

"Just as you said," Raj answered. "Just as Leni's power has been circulating through her body and gaining strength, so has King's."

"But… Why?" Lori wondered. "I mean, it's not like King got his powers _before_ Leni, right?" She blinked at the thought. "Right?"

"Hmm, unlikely," Raj hypothesized. "While the number of cryptid sightings has stagnated over the years, not even an individual like King could avoid detection forever. Nor is he the type to do so. No, both King and Leni got their powers at the same time. Or at least, on the same day. If I had to guess, King might have just absorbed more energy than your sister has. As unfortunate as it is, its just the luck of the draw. How the die was cast, as it were."

"Okay, so what do we do?"

Neither Leni, Raj, nor Meltdown had an answer. Leni walked over to a wall, staring at the pictures of her family. She sighed.

"I wish it was like a toy," Leni shook her head. "That way we could just… take it away."

"...His power?" TJ wondered.

"Yeah," Leni nodded. "I wish his power was like a toy."

Lori's eyes got wide. She looked at her phone, and turned it on.

"Hold on," she ordered. "This is going to take a while."

She made a call, and there was a lot of fussing on the other end.

"Guys, guys! Hold on-" she begged. She had to pull the phone away from her ear, where the four of them could hear everyone else on the other line.

"Heh," TJ wiped his nose, hiding a smirk. "Just a wild as before."

"Guys," Lori fought to control the conversation. "Guys! We're fine, now shut up already!"

The line quieted down enough for Leni to get a word in. Lori switched it to speaker. The other three followed her into the dining room, she sat Leni down and fetched some scissors from the kitchen.

"Hey guys," Leni greeted as Lori set to work on fixing her hair. "How was your trip?"

"_Oh, honey_," the static did little to hide Rita's sobbing. "_We saw the news, are you okay_?"

"I'm okay Mom," Leni answered. "How's everyone doing?"

Mentions of "_Fine_" and "_Okay_" echoed around room.

"Luan? How about you?"

Someone cleared their throat. "_M'okay. Hey, uh… I'm sorry about_…"

"It's okay, Luan," Leni smiled. "Thanks for setting up that website for me. I haven't gotten the chance to check it today, but I will later, okay?"

"_Right_. _That's fine_."

"Leni," Lori reminded her after another clip. "Focus."

"Right," she remembered. "Is Lisa there?"

"_Affirmative_," Lisa responded.

"And Lincoln too," Leni added. "Just in case."

"_Right here_," the boy reported.

"Okay," Lori started. "Lisa, your pen pal from Canada is here to help us with the King problem."

"_Is he really_?" Lisa responded. "_Hello, Raj! Apologies I can not be their to greet you myself. And apologies that your first physical representation of me is via my two eldest siblings_."

"It's quite alright, _mon ami_," Raj answered.

"Back on track," Lori continued. "We had the idea to take away King's powers, but we don't know how to do that. Any ideas, Lisa?"

"_Hmmm,_" the toddler puzzled, "_Well, like Leni, all the subjects affected by the Generator emit a certain kind of radiation. The radiation in question is deeply ingrained into the DNA of the victims. So I had the theory_-"

"To remove the radiation from the subject," Raj finished the thought. "Thus rendering any mutation inert."

"_Aside from the possibility of actually _killing_ the subject_," Lisa continued. "_the real problem stems from the ability to build the kind of machine we need. Even in the best of circumstances, it could take a couple of months_."

The room fell silent. A lot can happen in a couple of months. Too much.

"_Hold up_," Lynn's voice appeared on the phone. "_Wasn't that wacko doctor building a machine like that_? _Back when Leni and I got kidnapped?_"

"_That's perfect!_" Lincoln chimed in. "_All you have to do is lure King and his buddies into Doctor Stupid's makeshift generator and then..._"

"Switch it on," Lori guessed. She set down the scissors and fluffed out Leni's new hairstyle.

"_Right_!" Lincoln agreed.

"Okay," Lori said, "So how are we going to get King into the basement of a fashion-oriented office building?"

Lori closed her eyes and bit her lip. TJ was chuckling somewhat. Sometimes she hates what her life makes her say.

"He wants me," Leni ran her fingers through her new haircut. "More than anything. This look isn't so bad, actually."

"Thanks."

"_We're almost home, Leni_," Rita tried to command over the phone. "_Wait for us to get there so we can all talk about it_."

"It seems we already have our strategy, actually," Raj suggested, almost ignoring the worrying mother. "Lori and I prepare the generator, while Leni and Tyrone drive them to the building."

"We'll need Officer Hobb's help," Leni noted, "To help clear out the building first."

Leni froze at the thought. If she's here, then who's fighting King right now?

"How long have I been out?"

Lori looked to the boys in the room. She bit her lip.

"Almost three hours," TJ answered.

* * *

Leni was miles in the sky, her hands clamped around TJ's wrists. She couldn't believe how long she was out. How many people were killed because of her negligence?

"_It's not your fault, Leni,_" Lori spoke through her earpiece. Apparently she could read the girl's mind.

"_Just be careful_," Lori added. There was a click, and Leni was left to her thoughts.

Meltdown cleared his throat. Over the winds, normally Leni wouldn't be able to hear it, but that's what super hearing is for.

"I heard…" Meltdown said. "I heard he lived. The kid. Your brother."

Leni didn't answer.

"I'm… glad he's okay."

Leni sighed.

"Me too," she muttered.

The destruction down below could be well heard before it was ever spotted. Police in an open war with King and his gang. Gunfire filled the air with noise and hot lead. The bullets were very much ignored by King, who just tanked the shots and healed from them almost instantaneously. The minions weren't any different, attacking the police with reckless abandon.

"Don't stop till we hit the station!" King thundered. "After that, we'll devour their families!"

"Who do we take out first?" Meltdown asked.

"Doesn't matter," Leni shook her head. "King's the big problem."

"We need to buy Raj and your sister time to get to V.I. building," he reminded her. "They only started driving a couple minutes ago."

Leni bit her lip.

"I'll keep King busy," Leni volunteered. "You go after the bigger ones, like Hate-Raiser, or Sloan."

"Leni-"

The girl ignored him as she dove down, flying overhead the battle and landing a block down the street. King spotted her and ordered his mock-soldiers to give chase. Like kids chasing after a soccer ball.

"Leni, hold up," Meltdown warned her.

"If I die," Leni warned him, "You'll have to finish this for me."

She took a stance and waited for King and the others to approach. As Leni prepared herself to take on her attackers, Meltdown shoved her out of the way.

King had raised his claws with the intention of cutting her in two. He was interrupted by a wave of flames and fire that erupted from Metldown's arms.

"Take the others out!" he shouted over his shoulder. "I'll buy you all the time I can!"

Leni stood and tried to reach out to help him, but she was cut off by Frog and Leech.

"Time to die!" Leech lashed out at her.

Leni took a deep breath and blew it out as hard as hard as she could. The wind whipped up and slammed the two villains into the ground. Leni followed up with slamming her fist into Leech's head, completely knocking him out on the pavement.

Frog recovered soon after, and lashed his tongue out at the superhero. Leni felt it coming a mile away.

"You know," She caught his tongue with her left hand. She wrapped it around her arm, stepping closer. "I'm getting real tired," she twisted her body and wrapped her other arm in it. "Of this. Disgusting. Tongue thing!"

She pulled him up into the air with her, and started spinning. She whirled him around like a wrecking ball, finally turning sideways and whipping him down towards the ground. The overgrown amphibian slammed into the roof of a ruined taxi, its windows burst out at all sides. He groaned before passing out completely.

Leni sighed, letting go of the greedy man's unnatural tongue before setting back down to the ground. Meltdown and King were nowhere in sight, but they had to be somewhere nearby.

Police surrounded the three of them, most of them set to work on arresting the two criminals. One approached her specifically.

"Nice haircut," Hobbs sighed. "Wasn't sure you were okay, with that last fight earlier."

"Yeah," Leni nodded. "Me neither."

"Is there a plan?" Hobbs wondered.

Leni nodded.

"I need to get King to the Victorious Industries," Leni explained. "I think… we can take his powers away."

Hobbs raised an eyebrow. "How're you going to do that?"

"I don't know yet," Leni shook her head. "I need to find him first."

Leni felt a jolt run up her back. "Oh, I need the Victorious Industries building evacuated."

Hobbs looked… conflicted. He was covered in sweat, and his arm was bandaged. He'd clearly been fighting this whole time while Leni was out of commission. And even now, it was plain to see he did not want to surrender control of the situation to a teenager. His radio blared out a bunch of static, but through it was a mention of some kind of goat man being trapped.

"Officer," Leni gently put a hand on his arm, "I need to know where King is."

Finally, he relented with a deep sigh. "I saw him on fire," he reported. "He was running towards the park, just up the street."

"Thank you," Leni took to the sky, "Stay safe!"

She dashed down the street, and she didn't even have to travel that far. Sloth and Hate-Raiser burst onto the roads, looking around wildly.

"Where'd King go!?" Hate was practically foaming at the mouth. "Where is King?! I already feel my strength slipping!"

Sloth shrugged and looked around, spotting Leni.

"Ugh, finally," Sloth groaned. "We can get this over with."

Sloth dashed into her, shoving his claws into her stomach. Leni grabbed his wrists, but couldn't help but spit up some blood between their feet. Leni looked up at Sloth, who only looked hopeful for her swift demise.

Leni gripped his wrists harder and shot herself straight up into the air. The claws were still in her, but she pushed on. She finally pulled out the claws and let go. To her surprise, Sloth just fell, flailing, screaming, but falling. She couldn't help but be confused, and briefly wondered why he isn't doing anything. Maybe super speed can't help you from falling to your death?

She swept down, grabbing his arms, but his jerking movements made her grip slip, and she dropped him the rest of the way down. He hit the pavement with a sickening "_crack_."

"Ahhh!" he screamed. "My legs! My freaking legs!"

"Don't move!" Leni crouched next to him. "You'll only make it worse."

She inspected the damage.

"It'll be okay," she comforted him. "I know it hurts, but you'll be fine. It's just the one leg that's broken, I think."

Leni heard something behind her and turned her head. She then dove out of the way as a massive pair of fists came crashing down on top of her.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Sloth cried out. He started sobbing. "My leg, man. You broke my other leg!"

Hate ignored him, turning to the girl.

"Make you pay," he snarled. "I'll burn this city to the ground. And when I find your family, I'll tear them apart, and tear the brains out of their skulls!"

Leni balked at the threat. Not even addressing it as she swerved under his arms. All that anger… all that rage and hatred… it was just so unseemly.

She floated backwards, taking in another large gulp of air, and blowing it back out. The only thing on her mind was making him _stop_.

And stop he did.

It was strange. At first, Leni didn't understand what just happened, but as she blinked and surveyed the villain, she saw that what she was seeing was the truth. From head to toe- er, hoof- the chimera was covered in a thick coat of ice.

"Huh," Leni thought as she touched her lips. "I don't think I had any minty gum in a while."

She then remembered that she was bleeding all over her costume. She looked down and held her wounds.

"Okay, okay," she started to suck in air. "Just… breathe."

She took a few deep breaths. In and out. In and out. In…

…and out.

The wounds were gone. She scrambled to find them on her body, but the holes in her stomach had closed.

"Okay," Leni felt the panic ease away. "I'm…okay."

Even if she was okay, she wished her family was here now. She'd bet they'd have some great advice for her right now.

A roar rang out around her. King was still out there.

"_Leni_."

Leni stopped and answered her sister. "Yeah?"

"_We got to the basement level of Victorious Industries,"_ Lori reported, the static fading in and out. "_Hobbs sent a friend…."_ Static faded in and back out again. "…ow are you holding up?"

"Good, I think," Leni took a breath.

"_Just hang in there a little longer, Luv_." Raj came into the call. "_I'll have the machine up and running in approximately a jiffy_!"

"Okay," Leni agreed.

Leni dashed through the street, towards the sound of King's rampage. She had to get him out of here.

But how?

Rubble and fire exploded out onto the street, interrupting any and all tracks of thought.

King stumbled out onto the pavement and asphalt. He patted and swatted away the flames on his arm.

"Would. You. Stop that?!" he bellowed.

Meltdown quickly pursued him outside.

"Not a chance," he spoke with bravado.

Not wasting any time, Leni took another breath, inhaling deep. She tried to replicate what had happened before, trying to unleash cold and ice. However, what ended up happening was the wind swirling down the street, picking up dirt and rubble, forming what could only be described as a horizontal tornado. It picked up the mutant and sent him spiraling down the block.

Leni took a moment to get her breath back. She settled down, her feet touching down to the ground.

"You've been working out?" TJ laughed. He sounded just as winded as she was, maybe more.

Leni nodded and put a hand to her chest. "Breathing exercises. Luna's been an amazing help."

TJ reached back to a spot on his neck. Leni cringed as she remembered why that would be a sore spot. Luna stabbed him with a fork.

_And why did she need to do that, Leni?_

Leni looked away. She could hear her parents and siblings in the back of her head. "No matter what happens today, he is not your friend."

"I know that," she muttered under her breath.

"What's the plan now?" Meltdown questioned.

"I…I think we need to move him," Leni answered. "Towards the tower."

"Right," he cracked his knuckles. "I can do this all day."

They set off towards the monster, taking turns lighting him up and blowing him away. With each pass, they pushed him further and further into the city. It wasn't until the streetlights lit up that Leni realized how late in the day it was.

"What do you hope to accomplish!?" King huffed and panted. "Even if you can kill me, there will always be something else! _Someone_ else! You will never get your happy ending!"

Leni took another breath and blew it at him, chunks of ice formed across his arms and chest, and Meltdown formed another fireball that sent him tumbling into the next block. Leni was starting to stagger. She was pushing everything she had to her limits.

"We're…" Meltdown sounded just a winded as she did. "We're here."

Leni looked up. Sure enough, they were here. Victorious Industries.

That filled her up with enough confidence to keep going. Just push a little further, you can do this!

Before Leni could do anything, King crouched down and leapt up into the air. He soared over their heads, in the opposite direction they came from.

"No!" Leni cried out. She flew after him, grabbing him midair, trying to wrap her arms around his waist.

"I may not know what you're planning, girl," King tried to push her off. "but I won't just do as you wish!"

"Too bad!" Meltdown suddenly said.

The way Leni saw it, Meltdown had joined her up in the sky, propelling himself with flames from his hands and feet. He slammed a fist into King's face, blasting a wave of flames into his maw. The three of them fell, and Leni did everything she could to send them tumbling back towards their goal.

It's almost funny. They bounced.

They slammed through the glass, bounced in the lobby, and crashed through the elevator doors. Without the elevator occupying the space, the three of them fell straight down the darkened shaft.

They hit the ground, and as King was starting to get his bearings back, Meltdown let out a primal cry. The hall filled with heat, and a focused explosion shot King out of the elevator shaft and into the secret laboratory.

"Keep pushing!" Meltdown shouted. "We're almost there!"

Leni took in the biggest breath she had and blew it out to push King down the hallway. The force of the winds turned the hallway into a wind tunnel. The lion man tumbled into the main room, and as he tried to stand up for balance, he slipped and fell into the dish in the center of the room.

The generator had a few installations done since the last time the heroine was here. The two intersecting archways still met to a control hub perched above the dish. Now the base of the arches had additional legs that reached and connected between the dish and the hub. That crystal was still here, now held up by the new legs of the machine.

Lori and Raj were up in the little hub, Raj was swinging his arms and dancing his fingers across the consoles, messing with settings and calculations with a blazing speed. Lori seemed stunned by King's presence her face growing paler the longer she stared at him. The teen prodigy said something to Lori, making her blink and snap out of it. She went back to twisting the knobs on a radio looking thing, looking for something.

Leni flew into the room, looking at King but listening to Lori.

"Um," she reported to Raj, "There's literally nothing on the screen. No leeks, or anything. I think we're ready."

"Almost," Raj fiddled with something. "Just… There!"

The machine started to thrum and come to life around them. Leni got the feeling that the reactor was somehow bigger than the room they were standing in.

Leni smiled. It was working! They can do this!

Her smile dropped as King started climbing out.

"I thought he's supposed to lose his powers!" Leni called out.

"It's just getting warmed up!" Raj called out. "Leni, you have to keep him in the dish!"

Leni nodded and dove forward, striking King in the chest like a missile. King stumbled back and swore under his breath.

"I am… getting rather annoyed, child," King growled. "I've had enough of you running away from me."

"I'm. Not. Running." Leni stood tall.

"Neither am I," Meltdown joined her.

The crystal above them glowed like a flood lamp, stabbing the eyes of anyone in sight. The machine only whirred and grew louder around them. Leni prepared to take off. Meltdown lit his body up like an inferno. And King, backed into a corner, roared in a final attempt at intimidation.


End file.
